Melted Steel
by FenixPhoenix
Summary: When Tenten finds out about her past, she ends up traveling through a dark path filled with nightmares and mysteries. But would Neji be able to keep her in the light? ::Tenten x Neji:: Rating may go up. R&R please. Final chapter is up!
1. Silver Nightmares

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I am just borrowing them. The plot, however, is all mine**.**

**Universe: **The Akatsuki is still wrecking havoc, but Sasuke has been retrieved. Team Gai's members are now all in ANBU, and they still work most missions together. Tenten has also taken a job to repair kunais, swords, shriukens and other equipment, being that she's good with forging things. They are all around 20-21 years of age.

**Status: **Complete.

**Revised**: 5/20/12.

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"_Take care of the mist, commander. It may hide the things that the Gods themselves dared not look upon."_

_-Ambrosinus (The Last Legion, 2007)-_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 1: "Silver Nightmares"**

* * *

_The night felt heavy and ominous as the seven year old stumbled through the woods in a blind haste. A beautiful, silver dragon glided beside her, leading the way through the ocean of greens and browns. Her small hand clutched at its powerful tail with a petrified grip, knowing that if she were to let go, she would lose him. And she couldn't. She mustn't! _

_The regal creature, thankfully, didn't seem to mind her touch, or the force behind the grip. Though, to be honest, it would have been laughable if the Dragon were to be injured by the flimsy grasp. _

_As they trekked on silently –where they escaping from someone?- sharp branches whipped her tender skin, leaving crimson lines behind as she battled the claws of foliage. A sudden gust of wind made brown locks lash around her face frantically, and nature's long and piercing wail made the hairs at the back of her neck rise. Perhaps it was her imagination taking flight, but to her it sounded something like a scream of impending doom. _

_Trepidation filled her, resulting in her grip tightening even more on her only companion amidst the somber night. In reaction to her almost palpable fear, the Dragon's pace quickened and she was ruthlessly reminded that ghosts and sounds were not the only thing to be afraid of. They had to get as far away from—from where? …From who?_

_She didn't know. The information –significant as it was—was missing from her brain._

_Her eyes narrowed in silent reflection, trying to grasp those eluding details that were imperative she remembered. She realized that there was something 'else' missing. She knew it because, though she was worried about that something, she just couldn't quite remember what it was, only that it was important. It was very important to her… _

_But what was it? _

_After a small eternity, a cabin materialized from seemingly out of nowhere. The Dragon made a dash for it and she obediently followed, the creature exerting a power over her that she dared not fight. They went in through the unlocked door. Her breaths were coming in quick and shallow pants, marking her fatigue. _

_How long had they been running?_

_The creaking sound of the door closing, and she was left alone with him. The Dragon turned to her then, his eyes two flames of hazel amidst melted silver. Kami, he was a sight to behold! Absolute awe and unbound devotion replaced the fear that had kept her heart drumming fast. _

_He would keep her safe. She knew it with total conviction. _

_The Dragon opened his mouth to say something, but a snapping sound outside interrupted him. He turned to face the only window in the small cabin, his eyes narrowed and he moved with liquid speed to where she was standing. _

_He brought his head down to her level and gave her a look of what she guessed was reassurance. It felt, however, oddly like some kind of unvoiced order too, but she wasn't sure. Before she could say something, he pushed her into a nearby, empty cabinet, making her crawl inside. With one last look at her –so many things flashing in those amber eyes, that she couldn't interpret them- he closed the door._

_As soon as she was left alone, her heart, for some reason, seemed to retake the fear that she had cast away not long ago. Would the Dragon be alright out there on his own? _

_A silver of light coming through a small hole in the door, pierced the veil of darkness she would have been subjected to otherwise. She heard the noise of glass shattering and wood breaking seconds before she bent to peer through the hole. _

_And she saw it._

_It was almost like a dance rehearsed to perfection. Yet she knew it was not. This was not a dance. This was not perfection. This was death. Unwelcomed. Uncontrolled. Raw and primal. But through it all, as inconsistent as the thought was, it was also unequivocally beautiful. Still a dance, but a dance with death. Not perfect, but alluring. _

_The Dragon twirled his silver body around as he battled a group of shadows, sharp claws shredding them in minutes with apparent ease. Blood –rusty and thick- was spilled onto the darkened floor, covering the wood with pools of wine. She felt neither repulsion nor fright. No. Instead, there was simple recognition and banal indifference, just what one would feel when being exposed to an everyday occurrence. _

_But alongside that, there was something else. Something that was not quite natural. It took a while for her to recognize and name this strange feeling. It was relief. Unbound relief at knowing the Dragon remained intact after all aggression ceased –or rather, after all his aggressors lay lifeless by his feet. _

_Why relief? Because the Dragon was important. He was important to her. She did not know the reason why, instead she relied on the firm echo in her head which told her that he was. He simply was. She could feel it inside her. He was important to her, in a level rarely attained._

_Hazel eyes turned to gaze at the cabinet where she was hiding. Perhaps she too was important to the Dragon, because he seemed as though he was checking up on her. Or were his eyes conveying another one of his silent orders? Orders that felt oddly familiar, but she could neither remember nor comprehend at this particular moment in time._

_A horrible sound of laugher resonated throughout the place. That too, was familiar, but in a far unwelcomed way. Before she could ponder more about this, the door to the cabin was thrown open with such force, that it broke off its hinges with a complaining groan._

_Slowly… So very slowly, the Dragon spun around to face the intruder. She wanted to cry, she wanted to go to him and ask him to run away. She wanted to protect him, to help him. And yet, she could not move. It was his eyes that held her in place. His unvoiced order perhaps? Or was it simply the increasing fear gripping at her limbs, making survival win over strings of loyalty? _

_Was it really loyalty? Or was it- _

_Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat when a huge Snake –bigger than the Dragon itself—came sliding through. Black scales glinted purple under the moonlight streaming in from the door, making it seem as though the creature had risen from out of the bowels below. _

_The vicious fangs of his mouth extended a promised of pain as he started laughing, much like a human would do. The sound –crazed and evil- chilled her to the bone, more so than the image of his slimy body. Inside her flimsy shelter of wood and dust, she gasped in a tenuous whisper. _

_The Dragon growled. _

_The Serpent hissed. _

_In the tense pause that followed, they just stared at each other from across the pool of shadows and blood. A battle was being waged, only she could not see it. It was obvious that it was, but it was personal, raging inside the vastness of their psyches. And then it was externalized, as they lunged at each other at exactly the same time. _

_A symphony of clashes, parries, grunts, growls, steps and hisses filled the atmosphere. This time, her heart was drumming a mile per second when she noticed the Dragon was receiving a good share of wounds. Before long, much to her dismay, one of his silver flanks was quickly coated crimson as the Serpent lashed at him –the creature's body becoming elastic-like as it stretched abnormally beyond its natural capabilities. _

_There was a small standstill after this, each trying to survey his own wounds and determine where they stood in this fated battle. The Serpent finished his inspection first and, as if feeling her eyes upon him, he turned to gaze at where she hid, his eyes stripping her to her very soul. Cold sweat broke on her forehead as she faced the devil himself, his eyes drinking her with so much malice, that she felt her entire body growing numb with fear._

_Just when the idea of getting out and away popped into her head, a barrier of silver broke eye contact. It was the Dragon coming to her rescue by reminding his adversary that, if he wanted to get to her, he would need to kill him first. _

_An angry growl came from the Dragon and the Serpent, shaking his head with amusement, only laughed his crazy laugh. _

_All of a sudden, the Serpent threw his tail –which had somehow grown wicked spikes—towards the Dragon, using it like a whip of death. It hit the silver creature with baffling force, sending him flying out the open door. And she was left alone with the dark devil… utterly helpless._

_The Serpent moved forward –eyes on her, his prey- and she, in turn, moved backwards. But there was no place to retreat as her back pressed painfully against a wooden wall. Desperation heeded forth her survival instincts, and her hand took a hold of a kunai she had strapped to her thigh. Her only weapon, her only protection, her only chance!_

_She took it in a petrified grip that rendered her knuckles white and gulped. A hissing sound resonated around her as the Serpent continued to approach unopposed. _

_Where was the Dragon?_

_Her eyes widened. Her breath hitched. Her heart hammered. Her senses sharpened. Sweat –thick and vexing- rolled down her face, threatening to blind her as the beads ran into her eyes._

_A chuckle outside –so very near- and then…The door was pulled open, moonlight spilled inside, and she lashed out blindly, frantically, desperately! The blade caught the Serpent's mouth and –adrenaline pumping through her veins—she pushed forward with all the strength she could muster. The kunai ripped the tender skin of his open mouth a good five inches, making the Serpent slide back howling in pain. _

_She had to run! She had to find the Dragon. She had to help him! _

_He was important._

_She was almost out the door when the Serpent lunged towards her. Raw fear made her look back in time to see the enormous creature towering her, fangs bared and ready –looking even more hellish now that they were painted red. _

_Was she going to die? Where was the Dragon?_

_The Serpent moved for the kill, vicious fangs ready to pierce her skull and break her bones… Her eyes widened, her frame shook. The sharp teeth were almost in when—_

**Tenten** woke up panting and covered in sweat. Her heart was still drumming hard and her throat was awfully dry and it ached as though she'd just been screaming. She turned to the clock sitting atop her nightstand. The green digits –not surprisingly- glared the same hour they always did in this most unwelcomed day.

It was 3:00 a.m. of the tenth of October. The date she'd rightfully dubbed the day of nightmares. She laughed mirthlessly and ran a hand through her moist hair. She had naively believed that after she grew up, the nightmares would stop. But these nightmares of Dragons and Serpents that made absolutely no sense, kept coming back, itching like poison ivy in her mind.

Wasn't she a little too old to continue dreaming of such nonsense? Had the Serpent symbolized Orochimaru she would have been able to make sense of it, but it didn't. The nightmares came before the Konoha traitor and his kidnapping of Uchiha Sasuke. The nightmares had visited her since as long as she could remember. Why? Well, even now she wondered…

She sighed profoundly, evening her breath in order to calm her jittery nerves. Idly, she gazed around her cold surroundings.

So lonely…

She'd been living alone for so long, yet part of her had never gotten used to it. Perhaps that was why this day she had come to both despise and yearn for. For this day, at least, she got to entertain some company very early. And no matter how weird said visitor was, he was still welcomed; always had been and always will be…

_He's going to get here soon, _she told herself, prompting her tensed body to leave the warmth of her bed. Rubbing her neck, she went straight to the bathroom and closed the door behind her –a force of habit more than modesty.

She turned the faucet on and adjusted the heat. Then, shedding her clothes, she stepped into the warm pelting and idly massaged her shoulders in an attempt to uncoil her muscles. Calloused palms caressed the rest of her. Bumps marked numerous wounds she'd received. Each scar was a memory, frozen in her body, forcing her to always remember that she was not invincible. It was helpful, in a way. One look at any one of them and she was immediately reminded to be careful, to guard her back and, most importantly, to protect those around her.

The image of the Dragon flashed before her eyes. Did he too have scars? She laughed at the silly question. He was a dream, a figment of her imagination. Sure, she'd sometimes morbidly wondered if the Serpent ever got to bite her head off, but she decided it was best that she'd woken before finding out.

Shaking her head to clear it of her inane musings, she concentrated on cleaning her body. Midway through the process, however, her mind drifted to other things –or rather, another being. More acutely, she pondered upon her visitor and his reasons for his coming.

Did he know about the nightmares perhaps? How many times had she asked herself that? And yet, when he came, she never asked…Still, something told her that he knew… For why else would he come in this very day at exactly four in the morning? Naturally, he never said anything, acting like it was a banal thing to visit a young woman at this odd hour. Yet, coincidences of this magnitude where never that. Especially when this routine had been established since as long as she could remember.

Maito Gai never _ever_ missed this day and Tenten was thankful for his company, for it truly brought some sense of familiar comfort. It was a similar kind of comfort to that light would bring after spending a long time within chilling darkness. A light like the one children clung to in order to fight the monsters that lay in waiting below their beds or inside their closets.

And though she was not a child, in this day, she couldn't help but feel like one. She would never tell him that, of course. She couldn't. His team would know about it if she did. And Hyuga Neji would then lose all the respect he had for her if he found out she possessed such weakness! That was a constant fear of hers. To think that all her hard work in getting him to acknowledge her would go down the drain if he ever found out she was still a fragile child at heart –afraid of nightmares, monsters and loneliness…

As soon as she finished dressing, the awaited knock came. She combed her hair rapidly before flying down the flight of stairs and opening the door. Her ex-sensei stood there, a brown paper bag cradled on his arm and a broad smile on his face. One would never guess he was aware of what she'd gone through. But he was.

Maito Gai knew about her restless night, even when she'd never told him anything. And Tenten couldn't help but wonder why…

"Ah, my blossoming sun bathed flower, I have brought you a healthy breakfast to help you start your youthful day!" Gai gave the same excuse he always did, maybe because it had yet to fail him.

Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, she stepped aside to let him in. The smile on her face, however, wasn't fake, nor was the thankful glance she gave him. If he managed to read those emotions, he hid it well, for he didn't say anything. Instead, he marched right towards her kitchen, knowing the way around her apartment professionally. She followed shortly after, taking a seat while he took out the plates as though this was his house and she was the guest.

And she allowed it. Just like she'd done that first time when she was eleven years old and her mom had died…Gai was always there for her. He was the light to blow away her childhood monsters. Tenten could ask for nothing else.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **surveyed the group gathered outside the Hokage's office with hidden dismay. Half of the people he couldn't stand while the other half he didn't particularly like.

"Ah, my youthful rival!" Lee called as soon as he noticed him approaching. He wondered if he could detect his reluctance, but experienced had shown him time and again, that either the Green Beast didn't or he simply did not care.

"Lee," he acknowledged curtly, politeness prompting him to nod at the rest of the group in greetings.

"Yosh! We'll do our best on the mission to come!" Lee gave a thumbs-up and flashed a wide smile. Had Neji been more prone to give into emotional responses, he would have rolled his eyes. More so, when Naruto joined them only to mimic the inane pose. For his sanity, Neji decided to simply ignore them for the time being.

"I wonder what the Hokage's thinking," Shikamaru said as he approached Neji. Him, at least, he could tolerate and didn't even dislike at all.

Ivory eyes narrowed a fraction as he scanned the crowd again. Naruto, Lee, Kiba, Shikamaru, Sai and Sasuke stood around him, and Neji wondered for a split second if this was some kind of punishment. Surely, he did not deserve such treatment!

The Hokage was well aware –as were almost everyone else—that he performed his best when Tenten was in his team. Whether that was pure coincidence or not, he didn't care. She was the only one that he _enjoyed_ working with. Yes. He had no qualms in admitting that Tenten had long since gone past the point of mere tolerance.

Still, since apparently only guys were requested for this mission, Neji assumed that there would be no weapon mistress there to stop him from killing –or at the very least, maiming- some of his companions. Well, he would just have to tough it up and concentrate on blocking their irritating voices out in order to keep sane.

The door to the Hokage's office was pulled open, exposing a tired looking Shizune behind. "Tsunade-sama is ready for you," she informed, stepping aside to let them in.

The group filed inside in solemn silence, standing in line and at a ready before the Hokage's desk. Tsunade was sitting with her spine straight and half her face hidden by intertwined fingers. Yet, though she looked ready to get down to business, Neji could still detect a spark of amusement in her eyes which didn't bode all that well with him. That look always brought trouble.

"Ah, I see one of you is missing," Tsunade pointed out with a frown. Leaning back on her seat she sighed, "We'll just have to wait a little, it would seem."

Neji's brow twitched at this. Where they really not sufficient? He'd worked with part of this group before -back when they were attempting to rescue Sasuke for the first time- and considering the skills gathered, the idea that they were not sufficient for one mission would never have crossed his mind.

Perhaps this had something to do with the Akatsuki?

Before he could voice his doubts, a knock on the door stole his attention. "Come in!" The Hokage ordered, switching back to her business-like position. Neji, however, managed to see the smirk that quirked her lips before she hid it behind her intertwined hands.

With newfound interest, he turned at the sound of the door creaking open and… stared. There she was. The only one who could make any situation so much brighter by simply being there. Tenten, weapon mistress of Konoha…

"Now that everyone's here, let's begin," Tsunade said, taking out a bunch of folders from one of her drawers. And it was only then that a sudden realization hit Neji, one that was not particularly pleasing.

Tenten would be coming with them… the only female amidst a group of testosterone-filled men. For some reason the idea that he would have to _share_ her was not a welcomed one.

No. Neji Hyuga did not like this one bit…

**To be continued…**

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**AN:** So, this was the idea that was voted for my next story. Unlike my previous story '_SharpBladed Spririt'_, the plot will focus on filling the gaps of Tenten's character (why doesn't she have a family name? Why is she the only weapon mistress in Konoha? etc.). It will, however, still have quite a good amount of romance. Please do not forget to **review** and tell me what you think. Don't worry, the nightmares will be explained as the story progresses.


	2. Strange Thoughts

**Revised: **5/21/2012

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"_If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."_

_~John Quincy Adams-_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 2: "Strange Thoughts"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_Five days ago I left Konoha to begin my task –my chosen trail. I didn't need to be told why I was the one ordered to take this mission. It was simple, really. I was elected because I am the best. Period. _

_Sure, to an outsider it would not seem this way, but therein lies my strength. A book should never be judged by its cover, they say, and that is true particularly for me. You see, I do not need fancy blood traits or the support of a powerful family; I do not need the skills of a taijitsu master or the chakra control of a medic to bring even the strongest of men to their knees. _

_Because I have me. My body. Mi mind. My soul... _

_Seduction. _

_It is the most powerful weapon and I wield it to perfection. Like an agile and deadly black widow, I weave with words a net around my victims. And as I stand before them in all my undiminished glory, I know –as they do—that I am unconquerable. _

_Seduction._

_It is the most complex skill. Though it looks simple, it is anything but. I use a force of raw manipulation that is applied in such a way as to appear fragile and innocent, a flirt for the playful and a prize for the arrogant. But when the time comes to move, I do so with the power of a tempestuous storm –giant, fierce and unstoppable._

_Regardless of their backgrounds, all my victims fall for me eventually. And once blinded by their petty feelings, I attack. With the steel of my words, I slice them when they least expect it –crushing them, harming them, shattering them into tiny pieces. The wounds inflicted by me can never be healed by traditional means; at least, not without leaving a scar behind –my last gift to them before I vanish from their lives. _

_Seduction._

_I am the best at using this dangerous skill, at dancing this dangerous dance, at singing this dangerous melody. I have broken countless men –young and old—like twigs under my foot, I have made them dance and sing to my tune. I've created and sustained for them the illusion of control until that last moment when I unmercifully –and without a moment of hesitation- shatter their dreams with the truth. _

_Because the truth is…I cannot love. _

_I am a seductress, a temptress, an outstanding actress that does not believe in love. For what is love if not the submission of one person to the bid and will of another? I know the power of love, I've tasted it and used it and molded it to my will. I have played with it as one plays with fire –carefully and with respect, but with excitement no less. _

_Slowly, as I leave the room where I have been staying for the past month, I put my mask in place. It is the mask of an elegant woman –one that yearns to be loved and protected. But underneath the mask lays the real me. _

_I am the black widow. The assassin that is cruel enough to feel no regret when the time to end my 'relationship' with my targets comes. The one that has examined her heart minutely in order to know how it works, how to manipulate it… and then has fortified it so that she -I may remain heartless. And I do it with paramount perfection. _

_I am the cruelest, the deadliest of all Kunoichis... and I like it. A lot. _

_As I climb upon that wooden stage that looks so old and worn, I manage to wrap myself in a cloak of exotic mystery, alluring aromas and liquid, graceful movements. I feel the eyes of all on me, and I smile inwardly with satisfaction and a tad bit of arrogance. _

_A vast number of men had asked me to marry them, even after they'd learned of how I've betrayed them. It's a pitiful thing, and –as I always do before a performance—I vow to myself that I shall never fall so low…_

_After a short eternity, I reach the center of the stage. The single ray of light falls upon me –it bathes me with a warm beam that, I am sure, is only highlighting what I already know… my beauty has captivated them. _

_I sweep the crowd with my sparkling, gray gaze, only to notice something both interesting and annoying. Yes. My beauty holds the attention of all… except one. _

_I smirk slightly, the quirking of my lips lost to the audience. Without him knowing it, he has challenged me. They'd told me he was the hardest to seduce, but for me there is no one out of my league, no one impossible, no one that can successfully resist me. _

_I grab the microphone and pull it close to my crimson lips, brushing against its surface a playful kiss. A pause of absolute silence and I allow my lids to fall halfway. I purse my lips, whispering to the microphone as if it were a man and I was about to make love to him with words. And then I sign. _

_This time, as my voice fills the room, enveloping them all in a symphony where the angel and the devil fight for control, even he is forced to look at me. Like with all his predecessors, I will bring him to his knees. And I will destroy Konoha's greatest enemies with that single action. This is my sole purpose of existence, the unchangeable destiny of a black widow…_

_As I lock eyes with my target –bright hazel meeting glazed silver-, I know one thing for certain. My mission has begun._

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** felt annoyed. There was no other way to describe the sentiment dwelling in his heart –or was it the pit of his stomach?- that gave birth to the unusual urge to growl with frustration.

What the hell was the Hokage thinking? No. Scratch that. Was the _damn_ woman even thinking?

Another look in Tenten's direction showed that she was possibly as baffled as he was when she took note that she was the _only_ girl. In fact, they all seemed to be at a loss as to what to say or how to proceed.

"You're late, Kunoichi," Tsunade pointed out as she spread the folders on her desk. There was no anger in her voice, but her somber expression was enough to show her displeasure –slight as it was.

Tenten was quick to mask her confusion behind a stoic mask. Neji smiled inwardly with pride. He had taught her how to do that, and he felt surprisingly pleased now that he was watching the execution of his lessons.

"I apologize, Hokage-sama. Maito Gai did not inform me of this meeting until after we finished breakfast," the weapon mistress explained calmly –but the apology in her voice belied her attempt at appearing confident before her idol.

Then, like a sudden bolt of lightning, her words registered into his brain. Neji could not help turning towards her and giving her a piercing look -especially since she had taken her rightful place by his side.

"You were with Gai?"

"You were with Gai-sensei?"

To everyone's surprise his question came in chorus with Lee's. Of course, he knew for sure that, even though they'd used the same phrasing, the meaning of it could not have been more diverse. Where his question held curiousness –and slight irritation?- in regards to Tenten's chosen partner for breakfast, Lee's was more of an accusation. The Green Beast was probably wondering why he hadn't been asked to join them by Gai, his lifetime role model.

Neji shook his head faintly and fought the urge to slap Lee on the back of the head. This was reinforcing evidence of just how strange the other members of his former team were…

"Ah… w-well, Gai-sensei and I have always had breakfast together during this date. It's kind of a… tradition…sort of…," she explained vaguely –cryptically, almost as if she was pulling at scattered straws.

Neji's eyes became slits. She was hiding something from him and he felt his annoyance increase. So that now, he had to fight the suddenly overwhelming urge to punch Lee square in the face when waterfalls of tears came out of his eyes, courtesy of the unexpected news.

Wait! Why the hell was he even angry? In fact, who was he even angry _at_? The only thing clear was that he was unmistakably irritated. He wasn't certain, however, if his frustration was directed at Tenten for not asking him to have breakfast with her, or towards Gai for spending time alone with _his_ partner.

"Interesting," the Hokage murmured to herself, and before Neji could ask what she meant, she continued in a more audible voice, "Well, I'll brief you about your new assignment." She handed each a folder containing instructions, advice and information about their objective. "Now, you might be wondering why Tenten is the only girl asked to take part in this mission, correct?"

Tsunade's eyes twinkled with mischief and Neji instinctively braced himself for whatever news she was about to deliver. On his right, Lee and Naruto nodded in unison. They were the only ones that had not understood that the question had been rhetorical.

"Your mission is to infiltrate one of the strongest and cruelest clans in the Earth country. Since the members of this specific clan admire –above all—people who know how to handle weapons, I decided that Tenten would most definitely be the best for the part," the Hokage clarified, that damn smile still on her face.

"So why are the rest of us here then?" enquired Sasuke, interest, confusion and distrust evident in his voice. Neji could not blame him, though he would never accept it either.

"Ah, and here is the part where I show my brilliant thinking," Tsunade commended herself, leaning back on her seat casually. "What better way can a Kunoichi be taken seriously, than to have a bunch of strong, handsome warriors under her command –wrapped around her little finger to be precise."

What followed was only silence.

**-o0o-**

**~Two days later~**

**Tenten **scowled as she inspected her reflection. She _hated_ this! She hated the fact that she had been forced –by Ino's advice, which the Hokage had readily approved—to alter her normal working clothes for… for _this_. Why did she admire that _demon_ of a woman again?

She grinded her teeth and her eyes narrowed angrily. If there was one thing that had always differentiated her from the rest of the Kuniochis –apart from her superb skill at weaponry, that is- was her preference for commodity and efficiency over fashion. And though what she wore right now, she admitted begrudgingly, could be consider rather efficient clothing, she couldn't help feeling self-conscious and therefore uncomfortable.

"Damn it, Ino! I might as well be naked!" she growled under her breath, already feeling heat rushing to her face. If it was prompted by anger or embarrassment, she could not tell. What she did know was that she didn't like this at all. Especially since she was supposed to prance in… in _this mockery of suit _in front of her team!

For Kami's sake, the ridiculously thin piece of fabric clung to her body like a second friggin' skin. If anything, she was at least happy it was black, for had Ino chosen any other color it would have been see-through. Stupid, _stupid_ thing!

A couple of minutes later, she heaved a long and resigned sigh. Slowly, she gave her reflection another once-over, noting how curvaceous her body looked. At the moment, she was only wearing the body suite that covered her entire body, from the wrists of her hands to the ankles of her feet. A pronounced v-neck –which she was trying, in vain, to ignore- allowed a good portion of her bosom to peep through the fabric.

Despite her efforts at keeping cool and nonchalant, Tenten blushed, this time less with anger and more with embarrassment. In all honesty, she had never truly taken the time to look at her body in the mirror without the hindrance of her baggy clothes and damn! Did she really have such a slim waist and broad hips? And how come she'd never taken the time to admire her own bo-

She slapped her forehead at her musings. Hard.

Cursing both Tsunade and Ino under her breath, she proceeded to shrug into a short, dark-brown yukata. Wrapping it around her, she tied a knot at the back of her waist and was happy that at least it hindered a little the otherwise unobstructed view to her curves. Too bad there was nothing she could do to cover her bosom too. Exhaling softly, she finished by cloaking herself. The black, cape-like cloak would help in keeping the cold at bay and, in a positive note, would also keep her new outfit a secret for a little longer.

Eager for a distraction, Tenten stepped away from the mirror and approached her desk. With a sweep, she picked up the files she'd been studying scrupulously during the last couple of days. She flipped one open and stared at the picture greeting her.

"Oshiro, Ryota," she read, studying the harden expression of his tanned, old face. Bushy, graying brows were resting lightly upon brown, lightless eyes. His cheeks were sunken and his lips were so thin they seemed to have been frozen in a perpetual grimace. Well, to be honest, his wrinkled skin was so tight across his skull, that Tenten supposed that even if the man were to crack a smile, the sight would be rather haughty.

Something about the picture, about the man nagged her. She'd spent a good amount of time looking at this person's face, feeling as though she kept missing something; something important at that.

Tenten shook her head, brushing the oddity aside for the time being. She closed the file, recalling all the information she'd learn, just to make sure it was still there. Their objective was to infiltrate the Oshiro clan, known to hold the best weapon masters in the world –though she decided to judge that for herself when the time came.

On their own accord, her fingers un-strapped one of her hidden kunais and she twirled it between her fingers expertly. She allowed herself as small smile as excitement bubbled in her stomach. This was her mission. This time she was going to call the shots. This time she was going to come head to head with people who sang the melody of silver, and she could not wait!

Of course, just as she was starting to feel good about all of this, her mind brought forward the other side of the coin. The darker side. Because she would have been dumb to believe that everything would go smoothly from here on end. And Tenten was not dumb. Naïve sometimes, yes, but never dumb.

Her shoulders slumped and she brought a hand up to caress the back of her neck, rubbing at the nerves. The thing was, there was one unspoken rule when dealing with males, especially 'Alfa' males… and that was that you never _ever_ told them they had to submit to a Kunoichi. And Tsunade –not even hiding her evil smile—had done just that.

"Well, fuck it! They'll just have to deal with it!" Tenten told the part of her that was groaning in her head. How was this fair? She had always followed orders without complains, so how could this be any different? _Why_ would this be any different?

Intent on keeping that positive state of mind, she proceeded to gather her things before moving downstairs and towards the front door. Sparing one last glance at her Spartan house draped in shadows, for it was still too early for the sun to rise, she bade her silent goodbye to the ghosts of her parents –those she could hardly remember but which, there was no question about it, still lingered inside her heart, making themselves present whenever those odd moments of melancholy took it upon themselves to kiss her tired mind.

Then, and only then, did she leave to meet her team. Still eagerly hoping, with all her heart, that –putting rivalry and sexism aside—all the members of her teams would behave, she arrived at the gates only to have said hope shattered mercilessly.

She scowled as she took in the image before her with something between dismay and irritation. Kiba was shouting something at Neji, who –crossed legged on the floor- was competently ignoring him. Shikamaru was languidly sleeping by the prodigy's other side, oblivious to everything. Naruto, meanwhile, was being held back by Lee as he cursed and roared and shouted at a blank-faced Sai. Sasuke, for his part, was looking at the blond wearily, but he was bright enough to keep out of the entire thing.

_Boys. Boys. Stupid, stupid boys! _

Cracking her neck and squaring her shoulders she marched up to them with a purpose. Without batting an eye or showing signs of hesitation, she made it known this was unacceptable. With a short sword on each hand, she threatened to maim whoever spoke next. Surprised gazes regarded her, but she also detected caution and she smiled inwardly. What? They thought that because she was a girl she would not be able to keep order? To be ruthless?

_Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, guys, _she chuckled in her head, making sure to keep her amusement to herself. It wouldn't serve if they thought she was having fun at their expense, now, would it? "Gather around," she ordered, nodding curtly with satisfaction when they all shuffled near her in compliance.

Sparing a glance at Neji, she was surprised to find a small smirk quirking his lips. She smirked at him in return, glad that she could at least count with his support.

_Yes, you taught me well, Neji Hyuga, _she allowed, knowing that there was no need for her to say it out loud for him to know her thoughts.

Though at first his silence had annoyed the hell out of her, she had soon found that his silences were words in and of themselves. As the time spent with him had lenghtened, she'd come to not only accept his silent messages, but to use them as well. Yes, he had really taught her well. But she liked to believe that she had taught him a thing or two as well.

"Alright, listen up," she began, discarding her previous train of thought and concentrating on the here and the now. She paused, sweeping them with a look that dared them to interrupt her. Nobody did. "This might be our mission, but _I_ lead. We do things _my_ way. I am not going to run a dictatorship here, if you have advice then I welcome it, but the decisions on what to do fall on me or –if, and only _if_, I am unfit for command or not around—they will fall on Shikamaru."

The men nodded in understanding and, she would like to think, in agreement as well. Unlike with other missions where the leader could choose his or her second-in-command, the Hokage had assigned Tenten hers. Tsunade's word had been final, not that she would have tried to contradict her or anything. She was sure Shikamaru would be a great asset as her second and her only concern had been Neji's pride –which could be quite bothersome sometimes. To her surprise, the Hyuga prodigy hadn't seemed affronted which had, in turn, filled her with unbound relief.

Yes. Things so far were looking, perhaps not extremely _peachy_, but better than expected and that was enough for her right now.

"Good, that's settled then," she concluded, turning around and pulling her hood over her head. Around her, her team did the same. "Let's go."

And so, without a word, their mission began.

**-o0o-**

**~A week later~**

**Hyuga Neji **sat near the fire while everyone else slept peacefully. He'd been woken up by Lee a while ago when it had been his turn to keep watch. Like he'd been doing every ten minutes, he used his byakugan to gaze around. Nothing moved. They were fine.

He deactivated his blood limit and sighed. A day ago they'd finally crossed the border into Earth country. Neji despised it here. It wasn't so much the fact that they were so far away from the Leaf what troubled him, but the realization that this country was truly a mystery unraveled. Konoha's knowledge about it was meager at best, their information only shedding some light into the Hidden Rock and nothing else.

He leaned on a particularly large and smooth stone nearby, bringing to the forefront of his mind the details of their current mission. Supposedly, past the Hidden Rock, there was another hidden village looming somewhere between steep canyons. In this village resided the Clan they needed to infiltrate. Though currently the Earth Daimyou was in an alliance with the Leaf to destroy the Akatsuki, not all of the hidden villages were happy about this.

And how could they? Before the Akatsuki, the Earth and the Fire had been in war against each other. It seemed long ago, but really it wasn't and Neji doubted some had gotten over the grudge they held towards their former enemies. Word from none other than the Earth Daimyou had gotten over to Tusnade about one of the hidden villages planning an attack on the Leaf. Whether this was a trap or not was yet to be decided, but the menace this news brought could not be ignored or discarded.

Thus, here they were, a small team with a grand mission. Their objective as explained by the Hokage was, simply put, to find this rebellious village, destroy the Oshiro Clan –which was behind the whole scheme—and extinguish the threat. The Earth Daimyou, officially, was not aware of any of this, but Neji knew better. To avoid a civil war, he'd recurred to allowing the Leaf to take matters into their own hands by giving Tsuande the information needed and then turning a blind eye on their team.

Though it all sounded easy, it was everything but. Since it would be impossible for them to find the exact location of the village, the plan was to instead force an invitation. Another village –a merchant one that laid to the south of the Hidden Rock—was known for hosting a fighter's celebration every year. For a week, a huge tournament was open to anyone and everyone who wish to garner some fame and earn quick money. This was also known to be the recruiting grounds used by the Oschiros to swell its Clan with powerful warriors.

"What's on your mind?" a melodic voice spoke to his right.

Neji was startled out of his musings, but he was glad his outward expression did not show the clear slip in his vigil. Instead, he calmly turned to gaze at the warm eyes of his training partner. He noted that, perhaps unconsciously, he'd ended up positioning himself closer to her sleeping form, so that she was an arm's length away from him.

"So…?" she prodded, snuggling into her blanket as a whisper of the coming winter made its presence known through a gust of wind.

Neji realized he'd yet to answer her, but the tendril of hair that had fallen across her face as she'd rolled onto her side was proving quite distracting. Not overthinking it, he reached out and tucked it behind her ear. It was an automatic response, an instinctive action. But Neji was not one to give in to petty whims and they both knew it. Her face expressed surprise, his startling realization. Neji, however, had still enough clearance of mind to quickly retrieve his hand. Faking indifference, he tore his gaze from her and posed it on the fire instead.

What in the world had prompted him to do that? And why, oh why did it felt so… damn _right_!

Fishing for something to break the now awkward silence, he remembered her question and decided this was as good a time as any to answer. "I was just running over the details of the mission, trying to foresee whatever problems might arise."

There. He felt more than saw her smile. The awkwardness was gone, the silence broken and their comfort, the companionship he was unashamed to admit he'd always held dear, was restored.

"Always the optimist," she quipped.

"Embodied," he replied with a smirk, sparing her a sidelong glance.

He didn't know if it was how she'd been handling herself lately –with natural leadership and regal disposition—but he hadn't been able to stop himself from noticing –no, scratch that, _admiring_ every little detail that he would have normally been oblivious too. Or maybe the fact that he'd more than once caught some of the other men stealing glances at her and seen a hint of lust light their eyes, had prompted him to pay more attention to her… to _all_ of her.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she rose an inquisitive eyebrow. _Damn it!_ This was the first time he was unabashedly caught staring, wasn't it? He returned his attention to the fire. Could he be blamed for staring, though? Kami, she really looked quite lovely…

_Stop that, _he told himself, or that part of his brain that was swift to revert to a more primal state, choosing instinct over everything else, mostly –or rather, especially when it came to her.

"All will be fine," Tenten assured, confidence in her tone making him focus back on her. Her brown eyes, much to his odd disappointment, were no longer on him. Instead they roamed around the sleeping frames of their -_her_ team.

He might have been imagining it, but he could have sworn he detected pride and a sense of love swirling in her orbs. It made him somewhat uncomfortable. The idea that love and any of the other people apart from him could be in the same sentence in Tenten's lips did not sit well with him. Again, the thought did not so much annoy him, as surprise him. Since when did he even care?

"What makes you so sure?" he forced himself to ask, wishing she would stop looking at them and look at him instead. Only him. To his innermost satisfaction, she did.

"Do you even need to ask?" her low chuckle made his heart race. Then, more composed, she continued saying, "With the skill gathered, I am sure –no," She shook her head and her smirk broke into a full blown smile, "I _know_ we can deal with whatever is thrown our way. We'll make it, Neji." She brought out from somewhere below her blanket a kunai and twirled it between her fingers effortlessly, playfully. With a wink, she added, "And we'll do it with utmost style this time."

Despite his strange thoughts and even more confusing feelings, Neji couldn't help but smile lopsidedly at that. Granted, it was almost indistinguishable from his usual smirk, but it mattered little. After all, she knew him too well and could therefore tell the difference.

Tenten's smile widened even more and, as it always did, it kind of took his breath away.

**To be continued…**


	3. Shield and Blade

**Revised: **5/21/2012

**Thank you to my lovely reviewers: **_Yukixshuu, DarkAnonymous324, Tenten's1, Tenten-kunai_ and _Just Lovely_. It means a lot that you took the time to let me know what you think. Thank you!

* * *

"_Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel."_

_~Tifa, Final Fnatasy VII~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 3: "Blade and Shield"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_My mission is already underway and though everything seems good, I can't help but feel something is amiss. I've been here for over a month already. And yes, my target keeps coming for more and though he has yet to let me know he's interested, his actions speak louder than his words, or so I suppose. But I cannot help but wonder. I feel like… I'm losing control as we keep dancing with each other, waltzing to a tune I try to impose but which he keeps changing by staying away, by keeping busy when in my presence._

_He… irritates me. Yes. I am not immune to annoyance so this shouldn't surprise me as much. But it does. Kami, it does! And it's not really because of what he says but because of what he doesn't say. Not so much for what he does but for what he doesn't do. _

_Oh, the fool! He walks into the bar where I work and he sits at the same table, one of the last ones, near a window, and then he asks for his drink –a glass of Shochu, always the same—and he strikes conversation with whoever is with him at the time; mostly his brother, sometimes someone else. Never a girl, at least, which is somewhat comforting. After all, that would be a big hindrance to my mission, wouldn't it?_

_What has been frustrating lately, though, is the fact that he doesn't make a move on me. He doesn't approach me, he doesn't try to get me into his bed, in fact, he hasn't even tried to meet me at the very least. No. He just pays me a bit of his attention when I start to sing but as soon as I am done, as soon as my voice dies, he pays for his drink and leaves. Like that. No backward glance, no gawking expression, no dreamy smile. Nothing. _

_I sigh, controlling my anger by slowly counting in my head and breathing in and out profoundly. Opening my eyes I see all my emotions disappear under my mask. I smile in approval and, running one hand through my hair, I stand and move away from the vanity. I walk out of the room I've been renting on the upper story of the bar and make my way downstairs. I can hear people talking and the unmistakable sound of clinking glasses. The bar is full tonight, much more than usual. _

_I let the oddity slip by as I make my way towards the stage. I feel the prinking sensation of being watched from all directions and I smile to myself with inwards satisfaction. I have weaved my net and, like brainless flies, they have been captured. Beauty is truly a dangerous blade. _

_I stop in front of the microphone. I reach for it, caress it and then kiss it playfully. It is what I do. The routine I've set for myself. I hear an audible groan from one of the patrons which causes some low laughter to erupt. I smile in his general direction and then sweep the crowd with half-lidded eyes. _

_I see him. Tetsua Ryuu. My target. He's sitting at his regular table, drinking his regular drink with Tetsua Yemon, his regular drinking partner. Perhaps feeling my eyes on him, he spares a glance at me. He doesn't smile or anything. He just stares and I detect, even from such a distance, a tingle of amusement twinkling in its honey depths. My hands tighten their hold on the microphone for a second, but I am quick to remind myself that strangling the microphone won't do. _

_I close my eyes and, swiftly, my anger is pushed away by self-control. The music starts and I allow myself to be wrapped by it, to be lost in it. The sentiment is bliss and comfort and known. I sing and everything else ceases to exist. When I open my eyes, he is captivated and I am back in control, at least for the time being._

_Around the third song something unexpected happens. The door opens and in strolls two people who've never visited before. I immediately recognize the bigger figure, as does everyone else in the bar. Oshiro Nobu. He is a bull of a man known to wield his axe and shriukens as if they were extensions of his arms._

_I spare a glance at my target. Ryuu's expression is carefully blank but, the expert that I am at pretending, I can see the change the other man has brought. His limbs, normally relaxed, are somewhat tensed and his back, usually leaned back, is now straight like a plank. _

_Movement near me distracts me and, if not for my natural talent at singing, I would have probably stumbled over my words. Nobu has, none too cordially, shoved one of the regular patrons out of his table, sitting himself right in front of my stage. He notices me looking at him and grins wolfishly in greetings. I force myself to smile back, if a little less enthusiastically. _

_I continue to sing for the next hour, all the while a feeling of foreboding stealing into my frozen heart. The music stops as I reach the end of my last song. I close my eyes and sigh into the microphone and the anticipated clapping soon ensures. The cheers and the noise, however, stop abruptly and my eyes flow open with… with something I can only describe as nervous dread._

_Nobu is standing right before me and, even while I'm perched on the stage, I still feel dwarfed by his humongous form. He's smiling again and the expression just chills me to the bone. He is a wolf looking at a dangerous dog dressed as a lamb. I feel more than see his hand lashing towards me and, though I can avoid it or slap it aside with ease, I allow his hand to snatch my arm. After all, I am merely a singer, am I not?_

_The actress that I am, I filled my eyes with fright and demand, with a loud but shaking tone, that he releases me! His smile widens when I make my body tremble under his touch and inside my head I'm laughing at how easily he's being played. He tries pulling me towards him but I stand my ground as best I can while wearing heels. _

_My eyes, on their own accord, move to the silent crowd. Ryuu is still on his table and I feel my anger boiling again. The fool! Can he not see that I am in trouble? Is he really as heartless as I am? Can he really not be seduced after all? Then, in a moment of clearance, I notice something strange. His eyes are not on Nobu but on me! _

_Irritated by my wrestling, Nobu pulls harder and I react without thinking. I lash out with a fist. At the last second I realize my slip. I'm supposed to be a singer not a warrior! I adjust my grip and strike the man's jaw with deliberate clumsiness. I shut my eyes tightly when pain –razor-sharp and intense spreads out from what I know is a broken hand. I feel tears welling in my eyes but at least Nobu has released me. I step back, automatically nursing my hand, cursing my reflexes. For the first time they have worked against me!_

_Holding a bruised jaw, Oshiro Nobu steps onto the stage, his eyes blazing with fury and lust. He reaches for me again but this time… this time my target is there. I gaze at him with surprise I have not faked. Somehow, sometime during my chiding of myself, he'd reached the stage and here he stands now, between us, keeping us both in place. _

"_Enough, Oshiro," he says calmly, but his eyes are cold and his fingers are flexed, ready to rise to a challenge if one is thrown his way. _

_Nobu's russet eyes turns to slits with anger but then he steps back and laughs. Ryuu seems immediately at ease and a smile breaks his stern expression. Patting his shoulder once in goodbye, Nobu signals to his partner and they leave the bar, not without tossing on their table a significant tip. _

_For the first time since I've started my mission, my target turns to me and addresses me with amusement and worry tainting his tone. I have a hard time deciding whether to talk to him with indignant anger or shy restraint, so I keep silent instead. _

"_That was a terrible punch," he says. I have to admit his baritone is quite pleasant to the ear. I've never really heard him speak before. "Let's look at that hand, shall we?" he continues, offering me an open palm. Faking hesitation, I eventually step towards him and allow him to take my hand in his. Callous palms hold my broken hand with surprising tenderness as he brings my limb closer to his hazel eyes to inspect the damage done. _

_And as I stare at him, oblivious to the curios crowd and the murmurs that are starting to spread, I wonder if he has been playing me as well. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**~Five days later~**

**Hyuga Neji **stopped when Tenten gave the order. A short while back a dark blotch had stained the horizon, signaling that they were at least a day away from their destination. He'd been immediately relieved by the knowledge that they had not gotten lost inside the unknown land of the Earth country, as they'd originally presumed.

Moving towards a clutter of rocks, the group shuffled into a tight group automatically. Relief was visible in all their faces. The last couple of days, they'd been traveling in terrain that had been largely flat, exposing them in all directions. They'd been awfully vulnerable, treading territory that might have become hostile at any second, and so this chance for cover had come as a welcomed surprise.

Neji turned to their leader to find her with arms crossed, frowning at the dark spot of the merchant village of StoneHedge. She seemed weary about something but before he could ask what was troubling her, Shikamaru spoke.

"Tenten and I have been discussing some strategy and it has been decided that we should split into two teams from here onwards," he announced, rubbing at a shoulder that Neji knew had been bothering him lately. The fact that they'd been sleeping on harder surface than they were used to could not have helped.

Neji folded his arms across his chest uneasily, but kept silence. Tenten and Shikamaru had spoken? When? Where? Neji had been near Tenten throughout the entire journey and the two had crossed but a few words since they'd left Konoha. It occurred to him then that maybe he was not the only one who'd enjoyed late-night conversations with her. A growl inside his head, marking his evident displeasure, made his muscles tense.

_Why_? Why did it bothered him so much that she might have been keeping someone else company? Should it really come as a surprise that she might have been sustaining private talks with someone other than himself? Surely, this was a leader's role. In fact, he'd done it too. In his past missions he'd conversed with his second-in-command without Tenten being present, even when she was part of his team.

"Right," Tenten spoke, snapping herself and him out of their independent musings. "As Shikamaru said, we'll split into two teams. One would be the blade, sort to speak, and the other the shield. I will lead the blade, which will be the team joining the tournament and showing off some superb skill, while Shikamaru will lead the shield, mainly 'cause he's fighting style is rather boring."

"Thanks for that," he interjected sarcastically, but his underlying amusement was clumsily concealed. How friendly…

Oblivious to Neji's discomfort, Tenten flashed Shikamaru a wide grin, "You're welcome." Then uncrossing her arms, she pointed at Kiba, "You'll be part of Shikamaru's team and-"

"Wait! What!" Kiba gave a step back as though he'd been slapped while Akamaru only growled by his side. "No way, _Captain_! We wanna fight too!"

The Kunoichi re-crossed her arms and stared tiredly at him. Upon closer inspection, Neji noticed the dark half-moons under her eyes. With mild worry, he wondered if she'd been getting much sleep. Though if he was right about her nightly talks, that would explain the marks of fatigue he was now witnessing, for it was not only her face which showed it, but her posture as well.

"There are two reasons why we've decided to split the team," Tenten began, signaling Shikamaru to elaborate on that as she pulled the cloak –she'd have yet to take off—closer to her body. Her shaking beneath that dark piece of cloth was only reinforcing evidence of her not getting sufficient rest. He considered pointing it out, but immediately decided against it. It wouldn't do for him to meddle on how she chose to run the team.

Nodding, Shikamaru began the justification of their decision. "As you already know –or should know," he added the last when he saw Naruto scratching his head, "we still need to keep sending reports back to the Hokage to let her know how we're doing, a thing which would be difficult to do for the _blade_ team. Another reason for the split, as Tenten has stressed, is _style_. The blade team would need to show off some 'flashy' moves during their fights to amuse the crowd and, therefore, garner the attention needed to be recruited by our target."

"So what?" Kiba snarled, not understanding a thing. "We can give you a very damn flashy and hairy fight! Wanna go at it right now?"

Shikamaru sighed, casually brushing the challenge aside. "We know, we know. But there were also other problems that needed addressing which also played a major role when deciding who would be part of each team."

"Problems? Like what?" Naruto piped in, tilting his head. But Neji's mind was already working ahead and, despite the fact that he didn't like it one bit, he understood what Shikamaru was getting at.

"Bloodtraits," Neji said in unison with Tenten, who gave him an amused smile which, unfortunately, he was unable to return. Because he knew, in that instant, that he was to be separated from her. And he didn't like it one bit.

"Ah, I see," Sasuke nodded in both understanding and agreement.

"See what, teme?" Naruto snapped, starting to get as frustrated as Kiba. "Will someone just come out and say what the hell is goin' on already! …In normal people's language!"

"Seconded," Kiba growled, trying his hand at a word he's probably heard Shino using.

"My youthful Naruto and youthful Kiba and youthful Akamru," Lee began, looking at each of them rather solemnly, "what they really mean is that because the youthful country of the Leaf used to be on war against the un-youthful Earth Country, the hidden villages would be able to recognize some of our shiny, beautiful bloodtraits."

Lee's simple explanation surprised everyone, showing that –unlike the other two- he'd been able to keep up with the conversation rather aptly. Neji even felt slightly proud of him.

"Right," Tenten agreed, patting Lee in the shoulder to show her approval. The Green Beast just stroke a thumbs-up which managed to eradicate the pride Neji had felt mere seconds ago.

Amused but still composed, Tenten continued, "Like me, Lee here doesn't have a clan or a bloodtrait and his fighting style is unequivocally appealing to the crowd." Lee blushed and turned glinting eyes on Tenten, who promptly ignore him as she turned to the man next to him. "Sai's fighting style is unique enough to earn attention and his bloodtrait is not well known, so he'll also join my team. Naruto," she turned to said man, who beamed at her, "though your style is messy, the crowd will enjoy it. And you also have no clan which will help with our cover."

"Yosh!" Naruto also gave her a thumbs-up, clearly unconcerned about the words she had chosen to describe his fighting style.

Tenten nodded curtly but what she said next bothered Neji even more than his being left out of her team. "Sasuke will also be part of my team." Before anyone could raise objections, because he would have too, she explained, "His bloodtrait is known, I am aware, but so is his story. Everyone knows he is the last remaining Uchiha since Itachi is dead," she didn't elaborate on it, but they all knew who'd killed him. "It is also widely known that he joined Orochimaru, deserted him later on and, on multiples occasions, fought against the Leaf. To everyone outside of Konoha, he is our enemy and you know what they say… the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"He'll be reinforcing evidence that our group is not composed of Konoha ninjas," Sai mused out loud, giving Sasuke –who was looking at Tenten with slight surprise—an appraising look, "Astute."

Yes. It was astute. It was bloody brilliant, actually. But fuck, he still did not like it. In fact, this was the very first time Neji was unhappy with how renowned both his Clan and bloodtrait were.

Damn it! There was a reason –a very good one at that!- why he'd never appointed Tenten as his second-in-command and it had nothing to do with her lack of skill or leadership qualities. No she was an excellent leader, a natural as she was proving it to them. However, a second-in-command was almost never near the captain when trouble started, and if the team were to split the second would become the leader of the other team, as was happening now.

Neji could never part with Tenten, which is why he had been privately relieved that he hadn't been chosen as her second. Why did the idea of being separated from her bothered him so? Well, he didn't know. Truth be told he'd never given it much thought. He'd assumed it was because he trusted her with his life, a difficult thing for someone who came from a distrusting Clan. After all, she was the only one who knew his secret, the blind spot that would render him extremely vulnerable to his enemies, and he trusted her to keep that spot well protected.

And yet, here he was. Feeling just as concerned –and irritated?—to be parted from her side. And why should he? He was not the one who would be doing the fighting so, therefore, there was no need to have someone protecting his blind spot, right?

_But she'll be fighting,_ a voice argued in his head and Neji wondered if that was it. If he was concerned that something might happen to her and he would not be able to help her. _No_, another part of him denied, chuckling as if it knew something he did not, if that was even possible. But that voice was right. That could not be the only reason. After all, her team was strong. Some of its members as strong as him –Naruto had beaten him after all, hadn't he?

So then what was it? What was truly bothering him? Why did this damn, annoying sentiment he couldn't even name invaded him when he'd learned Sasuke was to be with Tenten when he would not?

"Well, it's settled then," Tenten's voice snapped him off his musings and Neji, hiding his embarrassment, realized that he hadn't heard another word said. Damn it! He needed to stop losing himself in introspection. His feelings didn't matter right now, their mission did!

"We should make camp. We'll reach the city on the morrow," Sasuke suggested, his eyes inspecting the darkening sky.

"It would be most advisable," Shikamaru agreed already yawning.

"Alright," Tenten relented. Neji could detect the stress that was hugging her in combination with the blanket of tiredness that seemed to cover her eyes. It concerned him more than he cared to admit. Again, he wondered if she had been getting any sleep at all.

"I'll take first watch," Neji offered, though his tone indicated that he'd already made the decision. No one seemed to mind as they all brought blankets out of their packs and settled for the night. Before going to rest, Sasuke used his chakra to build a fire. Then, nodding curtly his way, he moved towards a spot a bit further away from the rest, and promptly went to sleep.

Neji tore his gaze from him and pose it instead on the dancing flames. He activated his byakugan and gazed around. No one in sight. They were alone and safe and… he was _still_ irritated. He deactivated his bloodtrait and sighed, using one hand to rub at his temples absentmindedly. He could already feel a headache crawling into his skull. Truth was, he hated the sudden turn their mission had taken… and he didn't even know why.

The sound of someone moving made him turn towards Tenten. She had been lying on her back beside him. Again, he noted, he'd positioned himself at arm's length from her. Trying not to make a lot of noise, she shifted to her side to face him more comfortably. She was wide awake but tired.

"You're frowning," Tenten said out of the blue, her tone just above a whisper.

"I am," Neji agreed drily, his eyes drinking her with newfound interest. Of what use was denying something that was staring her in the face anyways?

"You never frown," she pointed out, her own brows scrunching slightly with confusion. The expression fitted her… somehow.

"My brow seems to disagree," Neji retorted a little bit more coldly than he'd intended. But damn, she was not making things easy for him. With effort, he covered his emotions under his stoic mask.

"That's more like it," Tenten teased, a small smile lighting her features. But her eyes, those doe eyes of hers -which, on more than one occasion had prompted him to wonder if they saw more than his own- remained quite sober.

He snorted in response. If Neji was one to give in to the urge to shrug, he would have. As it was, he turned his attention back to the flames and away from her. But who was he kidding. She was always there, lingering somewhere in his mind, ever present and everlasting.

"You should get some rest, Tenten," he was careful to keep his tone neutral, else she would pick up on his odd irritation, "Tomorrow is going to be a rough day for you."

"It'll be alright," she assured lazily, the confidence in her voice only intensifying his anger.

"Don't depend on _them_ so much," he snapped before he could stop himself. The edge on his voice had them both tensing on their spots, creating an atmosphere of almost palpable enmity. Neji kicked himself mentally for his slip, but hard as he tried he could not come up with something to clear the wall he'd built between them.

A pause that felt eternal ensured until she broke it with carefully chosen words, "Is it so bad? I have always depended on you, Neji, and you never seemed to mind."

He clenched his jaw. His hands, which had been lying limp on his lap, tightened on his knees, scrunching the fabric of his pants.

_Damn it, Tenten!_ _It's not the same!_ A voice in his head roared, indignant at her ignorance, even if he himself was having his share of troubles in identifying said difference. Because she was right! He didn't mind that she depended on him –hell, he even liked it! But seeing her depend on someone else… on another guy no less… it just… he didn't appreciate it. He didn't like it. He didn't _want_ it!

"It's not the same," he blurted out and, though he hadn't planned on letting her in on his thoughts, he did not regret it. Part of him, a very powerful one, had wanted her to know.

"Why not?" she prompted curiously, gently, patiently.

_Kami, Tenten! I don't fucking know!_ A voice shouted in his head, frustrated by his lack of understanding of his own damn emotions and his stupid wayward thoughts. And yet, another part –the same one that had prompted him to speak before- betrayed him by confiding something he'd always known, but he'd never really taken the time to linger on.

"Because, unlike them, I would _never_ let you down. I would never think of it… I wouldn't even _dream_ of it…"

Fucking piece of useless gray matter that was his brain! Why had he said that? Better yet, why was he not regretting it? Why did he suddenly feel as though a burden had been lifted? And, at the same time, why did he feel as though that next breath he needed to take was harder on his tightened lungs?

"Neji," she called to him and, unable to fight her, to deny her anything, he turned his ivory gaze on her.

Her eyes were warm, and they made him feel as cozy as sitting before this fire did. She was regarding him differently than before, though he couldn't quite point out what had caused the change. It was just there. And he liked it. It made his mind feel less stupid, his heart less heavy, his breathing less obstructed by whatever had been crushing his lungs a moment past.

"Tenten, I…," he began, but what could he say? I don't want you to be with them? I want you to stay by me? I want you to stay _with_ me? I feel something in my heart that bothers me sometimes but which, most times, I refuse to let go of? What could he say! How could he tell her everything and tell her nothing at the same time?

He was afraid. Kami, he was so fucking afraid it almost made him laugh.

It had not been anger what had followed his strange confession but fear. Fear that she might reject his words, his concern, his feeling. Fear that she might reject _him_. That fear had always been there, though. He'd just never taken the time to identify and accept it… until now.

Tenten smiled and time stopped and everything was simply… _okay_. Slowly, with only minor hesitation, she slipped a hand from below the blanket and extended it his way. He stared at her open hand with interest. He knew what she was doing and he appreciated it. He truly did. But he couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Neither of them was prone to search or give into contact very easily. Touching was always limited. They'd touch before, of course, but always with a purpose. To help her get up, to help him get up, to silently ask for his attention, to signal something to her during a mission…

Hyuga Neji could even count, with one hand –because yes, he kept count- the number of times they'd touch without a practical motive. When they'd touch for the sake of touching. When their hands or fingers had lingered on one another for no specific reason than to simply… _feel_ the other person in more than just presence.

Right now, at this moment, in the middle of a mission, in the middle of a cold night, in the middle of nowhere, she was offering him _that_. Unlike other times, she was not hiding it, but putting it out in the open. Unlike other times, she was not just doing it but asking him to do it too. To put some effort into it as well. It was not a decision taken by one side and executed with almost secrecy. It was a question and a statement, an offer and a prize.

And he took it.

He reached for her hand and closed longer, thicker fingers around her limb. Her palm was warm and callous and smaller than he'd thought and yet… still a work of art. He liked it. He liked the feeling of her touch. It brought some comfort to his heart and peace to his thoughts.

"Thank you," she said simply, closing her eyes as a gentle smile quirked the corner of her lips. Neji didn't say anything. What could he say? How could he put what he felt, what she meant to him into words? He was eloquent when he needed but words failed him now. In fact, how could he express something he wasn't even sure of to begin with? Because… what _did_ she mean to him exactly?

Still, wishing to answer her in some way –else she would feel ignored- he did the only thing that felt _right_. He squeezed her hand and, to his relief, she squeezed back.

Ivory eyes then, and only then, turned back to the fire. After a while, he felt her grasp slacken, her fingers losing the force with which they'd closed around his. He turned to her, wondering if she had grown uncomfortable, only to realize that she'd fallen asleep. Carefully, he released her –fighting the part of him that did not wish the contact to end—and pushed her hand, coiling it at the elbow, closer to her body. Automatically, she retrieved it, hiding it below her blanket as a gust of wind whipped them.

This time, Neji allowed himself a smile as he gazed at her for a while longer. But the truth was, deep down, he was frowning. Kami, he wasn't sure of a _damn_ thing anymore.

**-o0o-**

**Tenten** stepped into StoneHedge with her handpicked team on tow. Her face and gender was effectively and completely concealed from view by her cloak, which could have explained some of the curious looks sent her way. The rest…? Well, she was sure the rest were not garnered by her, but by the men silently following her.

_Thinking of hotness, _she bit her lower lip, not even paying attention to where she was leading them as her mind replayed the events of the previous night and early morning. Something had been bothering Neji and, had she not know him how she did, she would have thought it was jealousy. But this was Neji. He was the most sought after man of Konoha. Jealousy was surely nothing more than a foreign concept to him, right?

One hand came to clasp the other and she bit on her lower lip harder, making it swell slightly in response. She had been tired last night, extremely so. Blurry nightmares had been disrupting her sleep so that, during the past few days, she could not have rested for more than six hours or so. Except yesterday. Yesterday she'd been able to sleep fine, comforted by something…

_His touch?_ A part of her wondered about that. For a while, when she'd woken up a bit disoriented after her good night rest, she'd pondered upon what had happened during Neji's watch. She'd idly brushed the strange episode aside as a dream. It couldn't have happened, right? She'd woken to an empty space beside her and that seemed hard enough evidence of her imagination taking flight.

Thus, in silent –if a bit disappointed- contemplation, she'd gathered her stuff, content that she hadn't needed to give the order for the rest to do the same. Instead, they'd followed suit. In the consequential chaos of getting everything ready and smoothing out the verification that a camp had been set, a stern-looking Neji had finally appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

She'd felt his all-seeing eyes zeroing on her and watched as he'd approached with an unreadable expression on his face. He'd been almost upon her and, just when she thought he would stop, he'd kept walking until he was right in front of her, with little to no distance between them. If anyone else had noticed the oddity of his actions, they'd kept it to themselves. Though she doubted she would have been able to listen if they'd pointed it out, her whole attention having been captivated by the alluring male.

Slowly and with just minor hesitation, he'd brushed his smooth hand to hers and then, to her further surprise, he'd hook one long finger with hers. She'd flexed her index digit automatically, not wishing his touch to end. Not quite yet.

When she'd moved her eyes away from their hands, it was to find ivory eyes staring at her for a long while, drawing her into unknown but exciting territory. Or at least that's how it had felt. The contact, the action, the look… it had felt long and nice, even if that couldn't have transpired in more than a couple of minutes at best. And it was then, as she'd lost herself in him, that she'd understood that what had happened the night before had not been a dream. It had to have been real, because his touch felt the same way as it did then and, though she had a vivid mind, her imagination had her limits.

Yes. His touch was a unique and therefore an unmistakable experience. It was odd but right. It burned but did not hurt. It quenched but, when retrieved, left a thirst behind that hadn't been there before. His touch had been real!

"_Be careful, Tenten,"_ he'd said in that smooth baritone that had made her more than once dream about hearing him, between pants and shadows, whispering nonsense into her ear. It was low and melodic and dark and seductive. And, oh, so much more!

Unable to even speak, she'd nodded dumbly, adding a smile –which she was sure had looked quite dense—for good measure. And then, he'd left and time moved again and the noise she'd blocked out suddenly signaled that everyone and everything was ready. Gulping in a vain attempt to extinguish the dryness of her throat, she'd shove her emotions out of the way and regained control.

And this time, it had been her the one who'd left. She'd turned around and started moving without a word, knowing that her team would follow and the others… the others would follow on their own time. They -_he_ was no longer within her power to control.

A warm, solid hand on her arm snapped her off her recollections. She stopped on her tracks, feeling just as disoriented as when she'd woken up. Her head snapped sideways to gaze at the owner of the limb only to find a pair of dark, questioning eyes.

"Where are we going?" Sasuke asked and only then did she noticed that they'd been walking in aimless circles. She blushed, despite her attempts at keeping the pretence of knowledge, and chided herself for her slip.

"Right," she said, tugging her arm out of his grasp. It was a rude way of doing it, but she knew Sasuke was not as sensitive as to take offence. Or so she hoped. "This way."

This time she led them, without further detours, towards the center square –near where a big arena loomed above the houses nearby. It was a magnificent structure and her stomach knotted with nerves at the thought that, when they fought, it would be filled with spectators. But regardless of how nervous she felt, she, at least, was ready to give them a show. It was not always she got a chance to show off, after all!

"Ya 'ere fer da tournament?" a man behind a desk sitting below an expensive-looking white tent asked, a lit cigarette perched on the corner of his mouth.

Tenten nodded, careful to keep herself as concealed as possible under her cloak. She did not wish for them to know she was a woman quite yet. A shock would always harvest more attention, and that was what she was aiming for.

The man quirked an eyebrow curiously, but he shrugged the oddness off. "Sign 'ere," he pointed towards the papers in front of him. "Ya can use yar name or a nickname or whateve'. If ya 'ave a team, ya can sign dem under a single name. But fights're one-on-one unless specified. S'when da time comes, ya can choose who'll fight from yar crew."

Tenten nodded in both understanding and agreement. Next, she turned to Sai and, in a barely audible whisper, told him to sing them in under the name 'Silver Blade'. Without questioning her or arguing for once –thank Kami for that—he did as told, his beautiful calligraphy earning a surprised but appreciative nod from the man in question.

"Dere's also a fee to b'paid. Since ya 'ave a big team, dat's gonna be five 'olden coins," the man added, grinning mischievously. Tenten wondered how many people had had to humiliate themselves by explaining they did not have the money to cover the fee. Fortunately, they did.

Without having to prompt him, Sasuke paid the fee with no outward sign of surprise. This incited the man to frown with suspicion but before he could say anything else, Tenten snatched one of the sheets with the information about where to check the schedule, and left. Her guys followed without a word.

Scanning the paper she grinned under her hood, the action hidden from everyone but the most observant of her crew. Good. The tournament would start on the morrow and things so far were looking great.

_This is going to be fun._

**To be continued…**

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**AN: **Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think of the characters and the pacing so far. It's a bit quick, but I don't wish to draw it on too long if I can help it.


	4. Shock, Shock, Shock

**Art: **First illustration of this fic can be found here (get rid of the spaces) [ h t t p : / /gigi – fenixphoenix . deviantart . com / # / d 2 y I 6 1 p ] or you can check my profile for the direct link.

**Revised:** 5/21/2012

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"_A warrior acts. Only a fool reacts."_

_~Dan Millman (The Peaceful Warrior)~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 4: "Shock, Shock, Shock"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_It's been a month since the day Nobu tried to force himself on me. At that time I cursed him, thinking he -I might have blown my cover. But what was my surprise when I realized that the man had actually been a blessing in disguise! Because he was. He truly was. _

_You see, we talk now my target and I. We do so a lot. He comes to my bar and listens to me sing and, after I am done, he waits for me in his table and buys me a drink. Every day this happens. It is now my new routine, sought-after since I came, undisturbed since he helped me. He doesn't come alone, though. No. He still comes with Yaemon, but the younger man has learned to make himself scarce before I join him on the table. _

_I… I am… I suppose I am a little impressed by how my target has managed to keep himself so isolated from those around him. It gives him power to drape himself in mystery, I think. Nobody wants to mess with him and, because of that, they all treat him with cordiality, though, unlike with Nobu, it is not always faked. Still… maybe I have given too much credit to the rest of the village? Perhaps it is them that have failed to see the man I've come to meet. Though, to be frank, it boosts my ego to believe that I might be the only one to whom he's shown this other side. _

_Because the thing is, contrary to what people think, my target is not cold and detached. His polite and warm demeanor is not really a façade. He's not really hiding some extremely evil secret, nor are his smiles supposed to keep you at bay. _

_No. _

_My target… he is a rather funny man. The arrogance some claim to have seen in him is more on the playful side. He really never expected anyone to take it seriously, but having too much fun showing off has kept him from correcting the misconception. So long as outsiders keep out of his and his Clan's business, he told me once, he is unconcerned by them. Him and his Clan, I have found, mostly keep to themselves, not because they feel superior, but because they are more comfortable this way. _

_Just the other day, however, he did not buy me a drink. Instead he asked me to accompany him and, without hesitating, I did. We walked to a field I've never been to before. It was vast and plain and… strangely well kept. The rocks we walked on seemed to have been filed down so that it displayed a smooth surface instead of the rougher ones I've gotten used to and since have come to expect. _

_Allowing no protests, he made me sit on a stone and told me that, since I seemed like a fighter to him, he would put on a private show for me. He also added that he'd never done this for anyone else and that, for that, I should feel special._

_Though I laughed at his words and the boyish grin that parted his lips, I fear to admit that I did. I do. I feel special. It's something he does… how do I put it? This is becoming irritating but… when he looks at me… I get lost. He… he makes me forget, you know? Sometimes, most times I forget that I am not really a singer. Sometimes I forget that I do not have a heart…_

_I fear him for that and I fear myself too. On more than one occasion, when he'd call me by my fake name, I'd found myself imagining his voice pronouncing my name. My real name. The one that he cannot know. The one that he mustn't know! Not Saori, Ryuu, but Sayomi. My name is Sayomi…_

_Kami, I'm a fool. I am a bloody fool! _

_When I saw him that day –half-naked, might I add- wielding his swords. I understood. Kami I did. I understood why people called him sometimes the 'Silver Dancer'. I've heard some people referring to him as that, people from within his Clan mostly. But as he twirled and slashed and fought with an opponent I could not see… he really did danced. It was dangerous and it was beautiful. The man, my target, Ryuu… he danced with silver. And it was a breathtaking display of discipline and skill. _

_I had to remind myself time and again, as I sat there entranced, that this skill could maim and kill. That his skill would kill. That he would kill Konoha's ninja. That he was my enemy and the enemy of my people. But, truth was, that during most of that time, I believed I was not a spy but a singer. A singer that was watching silver dance. _

_Kami…forgive me… I am a fool. I do fear him, do not get me wrong. I fear him so very much. Because, with only one look, he can stir my frozen heart. With one word, he has sparked fire in the pit of my stomach, fire that is threatening to consume me. I fear him because he makes me feel that I am truly not a weapon. That I am truly, unquestionably… alive. _

_I should end this. I should stop this before I am consumed. I should get together with my contact and explain that I am compromised! Beg him to pull me out and let me leave and let me cry! I should do it. I shall do it! I need to do this! Before he overwhelms me, and destroys the black widow I've worked so hard to protect._

_I shall leave him… even if it tears me apart, I shall! _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **sat on one of the many tables in the waiting area. Her team huddled around her, instinctively poised to protect her from strangers who might try to invade her personal space in an effort to look below the cloak. It wasn't a baseless fear, since people had tried to do just that multiple times before. Plenty of them had, actually, only to back away when met with Sasuke's sword, Sai's kunai, Naruto's bared teeth and Lee's crazed smile.

Sparing a glance at her team, Tenten noticed they were all sizing the rest of their competition. Half of them studied them with interest, the others with reservations. She, for her part, had not spared more than a sweeping glance at the hard-looking warriors lingering about them, bent on their destruction. Instead, she'd soon come to rest her entire focus on the open space to their right.

The field that was the arena, she noted, was draped with what most would describe as soft-looking sand. The waiting area was around said arena, just below the hundreds of benches that were, slowly but surely, being filled with a morbid, blood-thirsty crowd. There was no ceiling to keep the elements out and Tenten regretted that today was rather cloudy and somewhat cold. For her and her ninjas, who were unused to very cold weather, this could be an inconvenience –a minor one, she was positive, but a disadvantage no less. The cold could do ugly things to the muscles and a cramp while fighting against a skillful opponent could prove quite direful.

"What are you thinking, most youthful of all flowers?" Lee asked, keeping his voice a low whisper. Tenten was glad for it, for although she'd explained to all of them her reasons for concealing her identity, she was still half expecting that either Naruto or him would screw up. Perhaps Neji was rubbing too much of his pessimism on her?

"I was just wondering if the sand was brought from Suna," she answered laconically, puzzling her companions when she'd voiced her strange musings. Well, what had they expected? Had they believed her to be thinking about the warriors they had to fight? To be gauging how difficult they'd be to beat? To be summarizing whether they could even be beaten? No. What for? It wasn't a question. They _had_ to beat them and that was it. So what was the point in wondering about it?

_Sorry to disappoint you guys_.Unfortunately or fortunately, she'd yet to decide, whenever Tenten felt nervous –even if only slightly—her brain, rather than focusing on what was _supposedly_ important, just ended up being distracted by the weirdest thoughts, wondering about the most inane of details. Though she'd learned how to keep her emotions properly concealed from the rest, nobody could keep things hidden from oneself. Not that she'd ever tried to begin with. Why would she? By understanding oneself, one would not be caught off guard as often, or so she supposed.

"That's…," Naruto scratched his head, probably trying to search for something to say that would not insult her in anyway.

Sai, however, was not nearly as concerned, "That's stupid."

Of course he would say something like that! By the looks the rest gave him, she assumed that some people might have gotten offended where they in her place. Tenten, however, wasn't. If anything, she was amused and she let it to be known with a low chuckle.

"Perhaps," she accepted, "At any rate, I never expected you to think otherwise. Still… I cannot help but be curious. Where do you think that sand came from?"

"That's immaterial," Sai dismissed with a hand on his hip.

"Sai! Shut the hell up!" Naruto snarled, which somewhat surprised her. She hadn't expected him to feel insulted on her behalf. She didn't, so why should he?

Brown orbs moved back to the arena, focusing on the dull sand that felt, strangely, so out of place for her. She hummed to herself before speaking her mind, "Is it?"

"W-what?" Naruto voiced for the group unsure.

"Immaterial," she echoed, leaning forward with elbows on her knees. Her eyes still entranced by the field. Tenten was engrossed with thoughts concerning the substance that could help them if appreciated or could very well hamper them if ignored. Perhaps she was wrong to give this so much thought, but, "When I was in Suna for a mission, I came to appreciate the role sand played when fighting. We don't notice it much because for us sand is not usual and we regard it as something like dirt. But it's not. It's very different. While we only take into consideration the terrain's layout –where there's a crest, where there's a hole, where there's a tree or a bush or a swamp—the ninjas from Suna take into careful consideration the type of sand that litters the ground of a specific place."

Tenten paused, looking at them for a second, knowing that she now had their complete attention –even Sai's, who had bent down slightly to hear her better. She was, after all, still trying to keep her cover, so she was careful to keep her feminine voice from carrying past their little group.

"You see, sand particles vary greatly in shape, from ball-bearing round to crisp and very angular. Round sand particles, for instance, interact like a zillion tiny balls and, because of it, cannot provide a lot of stability. Landings, spins, and push-offs are much more difficult to execute and require more momentum, more strength. Beach and riverbed sand are often too spherical and, therefore, much more slippery. Put too much weight in one foot and you'll get caught in a hole." She straightened up before adding the final piece of knowledge, "What is known as glacial sand, with its irregular angular surfaces, results in a more interlocking particle interaction and therefore provides better stability. This type of sand is the best for fighting, the more dependable one, the less _treacherous_ one."

Sasuke, who had been regarding her quietly up until that point, seemed impressed by her thoughts. He spared a glance at the arena with new appreciation. "What kind of sand do you make of this?"

Tenten crossed her arms, "I cannot tell for sure but I can only assume that… they would use the glacial sand."

"Why do you conclude that?" Sai again, ever curios and always questioning. Tenten felt that if she had to prove herself to anyone in her team, it would be to him.

"Because the other types of sand would hinder movement, draining the competitors faster and therefore shortening the show," she explained. "I do not think most of the crowd would realize how much more difficult it is to fight on sand and their disappointment would be inevitable. It just wouldn't do for those who are getting some money out of it."

"That's a sound observation," Sai relented before acknowledging, "I'm impressed, Kunai."

Tenten shook her head at his chosen nickname for her. He'd decided upon it after he'd watched her taking one of her kunais –though it was always the same one, sentimental value and all—and twirling it playfully. Most times she didn't even notice she did it until someone pointed it out. It was almost a reflex now…

"I'm thinking I should feel offended," she retorted playfully, "what with you guys being impressed by something so trivial and all."

She laughed when they turned to her questioning gazes, trying to determine if she really regarded what she'd said as nothing out of the ordinary. Just to confuse them more for good measure, she chuckled softly. Already she was showing off and the fight hadn't even started! This was going to be fun.

A man dressed in a traditional, fancy, dark kimono suddenly came inside through the double doors on the side. He waited until everyone took notice of his arrival before letting them know that the tournament was about to commence and that the first teams to fight would be Silver Blade and Spikes.

Tenten had taken matters into her own hands and had researched how this entire thing worked, especially given that the man whom they'd signed up with had not seemed particularly inclined on explaining it. From what she'd gathered, it seemed most people registered as teams and, as such, teams fought each other in 'blocks'. But the rounds, unless specified otherwise, were mostly one-on-one. Each block had four rounds or fights and a team had to win three or more in order to advance to the next stage. If a team member loses, however, he could not participate again, even if the team did move on, so that –sometimes—a team would be forced to have a member fight two rounds during one same block.

"Once the commemorative speech is finished, both teams should make their way to the sides of the arena. There are two balconies in opposite sides reserved for the teams, left one is Silver Blade's and the right one Spikes'," the man explained, pointing at each for emphasis. "Once you've chosen your first combatant, he is to make his way to the arena and salute the crowd. The referee will give the order to start. You've all been given rules, follow them and you should be alright. Break one and you shall be disqualified."

With that the man spun on his heels and left with as much grace as he'd arrived. Tenten stood up, flashed the Spike team a cocky grin from below her hood, which she knew they would be able to see, and, with a curt nod of her head, signal her team to follow her.

They made their way to their appointed balcony, feeling the eyes of the entire arena on them. Tenten's back straightened slightly when she felt a prickling sensation to her right. She spared a glance in said direction and smiled. Even with the sunglasses to conceal his eyes, she could _feel_ Neji's byakugan on her.

It was weird, really. One time, in one of the fist occasions when she'd managed to beat him during practice, Neji had asked with genuine interest how she'd managed to detect him. She'd told him that she'd learned to pick the sensation of his byakugan on her. He'd frowned confused and had confided that this was the first time he'd heard of such a thing. Knowing he would keep pestering her until she gave him a proper explanation, she'd described the feeling like a prickling on her skin –like small ants were biting her. Not painful, just… different, if a little uncomfortable if he kept his eyes on her for too long.

Neji deactivated his byakugan –she had the vague impression that he'd only used it to show his position to her—and, as if having heard her thoughts and wished to confirm them, he nodded curtly. Tenten nodded in short greetings before giving her back to him and studying the members of her team who, too busy inspecting their surroundings, had not detected her small exchange with the Hyuga.

"Who should fight first?" Sasuke asked, his eyes intent on a spiky-haired, blond figure who had jumped into the arena, showing he would be the first of his team to fight.

Tenten gauged him for a moment and made her decision, "Naruto, you're up."

Naruto jumped and whoop with unbound happiness, looking more like a puppy than Akamaru ever had. Just as he grabbed the railing and was getting ready to jump, Tenten took a hold of his arm, effectively stopping him.

"Naruto," her voice was solemn, letting him know that what she had to say was important.

The man somewhat sobered. "Yes, Captain?"

"Don't show off all your skill at once," she warned. "Remember this tournament lasts one week. If you show great skill during this fight then the crowd will be waiting for more the next one. Measure yourself. No one wants a fighter that can't do better next time. They want to be entertained. They want their expectations to be beaten again and again. They want to see style over precision, but there must always be a balance." She let go of his arm and flashed him an excited smile, "We're here to do just that. So go out and entertain but be sure to keep them wanting more."

"Yosh! Leave it to me!" Naruto flashed the peace and love sign he was so fond of before jumping down. The crowd roared and clapped and cheered with the inebriation of the coming fight, the coming moves, the coming _blood_.

And so then the battle began…

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** swirled the contents of his drink, the ice clinking against the half-empty glass. He was hunched over at the bar, the bartender paying him little mind as he fixed drinks for the other patrons. Around him, everyone was talking about what _Tenten_ had expected, what, unknown to them, she'd forced upon them.

He smirked, adjusting his dark glasses, aware that they were calling unwanted attention but resigned to the fact that to discard them would be just as stupid. His byakugan would earn equal if not more attention.

"Did you hear?" a man said to a group of his friends as he joined them at an empty table that stood just behind Neji's stool.

"Ya! I did not see _that_ comin'!" another one said, excitement and fascination bubbling in his tone.

"Wait! Wass this all 'bout?" The third person seemed confused.

"What! You didn't know! The Silver Blade's leader is a lass!" The first said, smiling wolfishly as his eyes sort of glazed over with the recollection of having seen Tenten throwing her hood off during the tournament's third day, no doubt.

Neji could not blame him. It had been a shocking moment, if a little overbearing in the dramatic side. The SilverBlade had just won their block that day and as Lee was making his way back to the balcony, Tenten seemed to have decided it was time to show herself. So she had. She'd flipped her hood off with two fingers and, without paying any mind to the gawking crowd, she'd smiled at her fighter, pecking him chastely on the cheek.

Her strategy had worked marvelously, though he somewhat wished she hadn't had to kiss the Green Beast. But it was done and it had, he admitted reluctantly, added some spice to the shock. The town, the entire crowd, meanwhile, had been shocked into complete silence –a deed worth remembering if one took into consideration almost two thousand souls had been present.

Today, just a day after that had happened, they were still talking about it. They were still excited about it. It was, interestingly enough, the _only_ thing they'd been talking about. The fact that Lee and the rest had fought some incredible fights had been shoved aside as unimportant.

_You timed it perfectly, Tenten, _he commended her with pride, sipping his drink and staring at the men through the long mirror behind the bar. He prayed, for his sanity if nothing else, that the color on their cheeks was due to the alcohol they were partaking on.

"Oh, really! I thought that was jus' a rumor!" the man who'd just found out about the news confided, leaning back and whistling, "She any cute?"

"Not cute, man, _hot_," another said, making deliberate emphasis on the word.

"A walking sin just ready to be redeemed!"

And Neji had had enough. Downing the last of his drink, he left his payment on the table and left before he did something really, really stupid. He tsked angrily as he pushed the door of the bar open none too gently. The moronic idiots! They had barely seen her face and already they were lusting after her!

Sure, her face was rather pleasing to the eye, but—

_Whatever,_ he dismissed, shoving his hands into his pockets and concentrating on evening out his breaths. Slowly but surely his anger diminished into more acceptable levels, allowing his muscles to relax and his face to smooth out the scowl that had been moving people from his path.

He made some more aimless rounds around town, idly listening to other people talk about yesterday's unexpected events. He deliberately tried to tune down –not with much success, it would seem—the rumors wondering if Tenten was using her team as playthings. Other rumors paired her with Lee, since she'd been rather unconcerned about pecking his cheek in front a vast audience and Neji found that to be a bit more acceptable than the rest. At least with Lee he knew he didn't have to worry about him stealing—

Wait! What? Stealing? She wasn't one to call his own and, therefore, she wasn't his to be stolen! What the hell was he thinking! Scratch that, was he even thinking? Lately it just seemed as though everything was out of his reach, all events mocking him. Hell, he even lacked the power to control at least his own mind!

That day, when he reached the arena, he was glad no further shocks had been dealt by Tenten. Instead, she sat there, with her team, silently giving instructions, making decisions and smiling broadly whenever they won a fight. She hadn't taken part in the tournament yet and Neji knew she was waiting for the excitement of her last revealed secret to dwindle before showing another side of her. Though she was now under their scrutiny, she was still hiding and she did it with excellent composure.

This was Tenten's specialty, though. She was the most dangerous of all pretenders, because –unlike him—she hid in plain view. Only those close to her -he would love to think only him, but knew for a fact that Gai and Lee at least could tell too- were capable of noticing that sometimes her smiles were as much of a concealing mask as Neji's expressionless face.

The fifth day of the tournament, the Hyuga sat in his usual place, eight rows away and to the right of the SilverBlade's balcony. He activated his byakugan in form of greetings and waited until she had confirmed she'd felt his presence before turning it off. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, wondering if she would come out of her cloak today.

The referee came onto the arena, announcing that the tournament was about to start and that the Silver Blade would fight the ShadowWhisper team. Neji's ivory gaze fell on the latter team's balcony. He'd seen them fighting before and, by far, they were one of the strongest and one of the crowd's favorites. They were, however, awfully ruthless and had had more than one close call of being expelled when they'd pulled some dirty tricks and moves that were more cruel than efficient.

The shortest man of the group jumped down onto the arena, holding his hands out when he heard the crowd cheer. He smiled sadistically and blew a kiss towards Tenten, who managed to pull out a smile Neji had never seen before. It almost rivaled the fool-of-a-man's smile with equal evil intensity.

Noticing the expression of bafflement on the man, Neji couldn't help but smirk. Tenten certainly knew how to hold her own and he couldn't help the swelling of his chest as he watched her. She was a lioness ready to rip them into shreds and they didn't even know it yet.

Patting Sai's shoulder once, she gave the silent order for him to wipe the smile off of his opponent. Mimicking a smile –for kami knew root had made a brilliant number on the man— he joined his opponent in the arena, pulling out his instruments without breaking his eerie smile. Uneasy, the other man bellowed some curses at _Painter_-Sai's chosen alias for the tournament- but they rolled off of him like oil on water, leaving absolutely no trace behind.

The fight was long but exciting. Sai got significantly wounded but managed to finish off his opponent at the last second. The crowd cheered for him, the sand now crimson at their feet. Bowing slightly in acknowledgment while holding what, Neji realized with the help of his byakugan, was a broken rib, he disappeared from view. After being tended, he reappeared in his team's balcony and Tenten, signs of mild worry altering her expression, whispered something that had the man pulling off a smile that seemed more genuine than any Neji had ever seen on his face before.

He didn't linger on that thought for long since, by then, Lee –called simply _the Beast-_ had made his way into the arena. A wiry but strong looking man soon joined him, eyes dark and mouth baring teeth that had been shaped into fangs –whether by human hand or nature, he was not sure. The beast studied him carefully before making a decision. Bending down, he pulled the green weights he was wearing off his dark-colored pants. Then, adjusting his green vest –though he'd changed his regular attire for this mission, he had refused to don his favorite color—he cracked his fingers and got into position –back straight, muscles tensed, one hand bended on the elbow with fingers outstretched but for the thumb, and the other hidden behind him in a fist.

Neji smirked knowing that Lee was finally taking this seriously. There were few occasions in which the man had resorted to striping off the weights, and what usually followed was pure mayhem of punches, kicks and twists that were too fast for the naked eye to catch.

"Best luck to you, good sir," the beast said politely, his brow furrowing a bit. "Let us have a wonderful, death-free fight, if you will."

His opponent just laughed and, as soon as the referee had brought his hand down in a chopping gesture, he'd launched himself against Lee, crazed laugher signaling that he couldn't care less if he didn't make it out alive.

Unlike with Sai, the crowd was silent. Not because it was less of a spectacle but precisely the opposite. At first, when Neji had been introduced to his team all those years ago, he had scorned them. He had believed that Tenten and Lee were dancers who wanted to fight. It had taken him a few years to realize how mistaken he was. His teammates were fighters who also knew how to dance.

And right now, in front of the bemused crowd, Lee was dancing. His opponent was spinning in place, trying to predict from where the man would attack next. But the Beast was dancing and only he knew the tune. It took roughly five minutes before his opponent fell to his knees in complete and utter defeat. Then and only then, did Lee stopped moving and the black and green blur that had been his figure came back into focus.

A moment longer of pure silence wherein Lee looked around him confused, and then Tenten broke the pause with a cheer and the crowd's trance was broken. They roared and rose to their feet, fists punching the air, kids trying to mimic what they'd thought they'd seen. Lee smiled and raised a hand and the crowd went wild. Neji even found himself clapping for a time.

The next to fight was _Fox_, Naruto's chosen nickname. He was wearing black baggy pants and an equally dark, loose jacket with orange-trimmed edges. Below it, he wore a white shirt, tight on his upper body which was driving some of the ladies crazy –the oohs and aahhs indicating as much.

The blond smiled wickedly when his opponent, a man a bit taller than him, jumped onto the field. He turned a stern expression on Naruto and waited quietly for the fight to start. Instead of being unnerved, Naruto laughed and bent his knees in anticipation. The referee commenced the fight and moved out of the way before Fox, and his five shadow clones, could trample him as they launched themselves against the other male.

The crowd cheered as the fight progressed, the skills of each warrior seemingly in the same level. But Neji knew that couldn't be further away from the truth. At some point, the figure of Naruto disappeared. The Hyuga smirked, remembering Naruto had pulled this off during his fight too. He touched his jaw idly and, as predicted, when the man moved towards the center of the arena, he came out from below the ground, arm outstretched. His chakra-infused fist connected with the man's jaw, sending him flying to the sky.

Fox was upon him in a blink, leg outstretched he brought it down with mighty strength into the man's vulnerable stomach. His body, broken and bleeding, crashed to the ground, disappearing from view behind a cloud of sand. When the sand settled, a knocked-out body was revealed with Naruto crouching beside him, poking him just for good measure.

The crowd cheered again and, standing up, Naruto flashed the peace and love sign before returning to his team, a wide grin on his lips despite the fact that he hadn't walked out intact. A medic nin quickly joined them, mending whatever wounds he had. Tenten gave him a good-hearted slap on the back and laughed at something he said.

Finally the last member of the ShadowWhisper stepped forward. He was a bull of a man. He may not have been the strongest but he was by far the ruthless warrior that had joined the tournament. He was old, but not in a disadvantageous way. He had a broad back and arms the size of three trunks which could wield his broad sword with earth-shattering power. Perhaps he was not the greatest ninja –his big form would have made it difficult for him to be successful at anything that had to do with stealth—but he was a dangerous warrior, no less. He was one of those who would openly challenge his opponent, and would beat him to a bloody pulp without batting an eye.

Well good thing they'd left the man to Sasuke. If the Uchiha got hurt while fighting, Neji would not lose any sleep over it. After all, had it been left to him, he would not have been as magnanimous to him as Tsunade had been. The man –everyone seemed to forget- had betrayed them! He had joined their enemies and had fought them time and again. If Sakura, Kakshi and Naruto had not defended him during his trial, Neji was sure the man would not be standing anymore.

Yes. Neji expected Sasuke to fight and be hurt in the process. He had convinced himself of the fact to such an extent that when it was Tenten the one who stepped forward, he almost chocked on his own saliva. But then something happened. Something not even she had expected and it brought a new silence to the crowd, broken here and there by excitedly whispered words.

Because, without thinking –which was something Sasuke did a lot, it would seem—the Uchiha had taken a hold of Tenten's arm, none too gently, and had stopped her from jumping over the railing. Time stopped and every single person held their breaths, confused and excited and curios about what was to happen next.

But Neji instinctively tuned out everything else until the only thing he saw, the only thing that was in focus, was Sasuke's surprised gaze and Tenten's appalled expression. They stood there, looking at one another in perplexed silence, both aware that he'd screwed up. That he'd screwed up big time. Tenten was supposed to be the one in charge but Sasuke and his action had inspired questions in the crowd. If she was in control, then how dare he stop her? How dare he question her!

Then Tenten's expression shifted into a seductive smile, half-lidded brown eyes smoldering as she twisted her arm out of his grasp and then, before he could say something or step back, she'd grabbed him by the front of his white gi, her fingers fisting on the fabric, and she'd pulled him towards her roughly.

The world went dark for him. He tried to move, tried to breath, but he was paralyzed as he watched with incredulity the result of her action. Because the action, her _damn_ action, had ended in a _kiss_.

**To be continued…**

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**AN:** I don't think I've ever had so much fun writing a story. For those wondering about the Black Widow all will be revealed in time, though some of your questions should have been answered in this chapter. Also, don't worry, I won't make this a love triangle. After all, this story is about Tenten discovering her past and about Neji supporting her along the way. This is also about them trying to make sense of their feelings and then, acting upon them.

Anyways, please don't forget to **review** and let me know what you think so far! You guys are great!


	5. Silver Dancer

**Revised: **5/21/2011

**Many thanks to my wonderful readers: **_I Can Hear the Sea, Just Lovely, Anniewanny2, Tenten's1, YuukixShu_, _DarkAnonymus324 _and _Firrelle._

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"_I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?"_

_~John Lennon ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 5: "Silver Dancer"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_The war has intensified. I learned the news from a survivor that came from a town closer to where the fiercest battles were being waged. The Earth country has been plunged into chaos. Quick, stealthy attacks have been catching the hidden villages off-guard, one after the other. Thousands are dead, hundreds are maimed, dozens are missing… _

_I quiver on my seat as I listen to the man's slurred, angry and distraught speech. I don't have to look around to know that all eyes are on the hunched ninja sitting at the bar, his eyes, for some reason, intent only on me, gluing me to my place._

_Then he closes his eyes and this once-proud warrior is reduced to a fragile child because… he weeps. He weeps because his village is aflame. He weeps because his family is dead. He weeps because he, too, is dead, only he can still breathe and that's his deepest regret. _

_I don't know why, but I am trembling. Instinctively I reach out and put a gentle hand on the man's slumped shoulder, and I squeeze. Do I pity him or do I sympathize with him? I don't know. What I do know is that this is wrong. He is my enemy! And yet… if feels right. He and I… we are part of the same war, only he is broken and I…I have always been broken. But I've accepted that. It has always been my strongest defense and my sharpest weapon precisely because I've learned to appreciate the value of it. _

_The last thought overwhelms me and I suddenly feel dizzy. There's something tightening my lungs, obstructing my throat, stealing my breath. Nobody notices when I leave, even in my vulnerable state I make sure of it! _

_No. Every eye, every heart is on the ghost of a man who'd just ordered another drink, wishing to drown himself in an alcohol-induced stupor in an effort to keep sane. What a foolish little creature. It is too late for him, but I… I still have time. I have time to save myself from the feeling of being alive. I have time to remind myself that I am a weapon honed for the single purpose of destruction. I still hold some fragile power over the will to walk out and forget the illusion that my frozen heart has melted! _

_I leave, I walk, and then I run! I'm gliding, legs barely touching the ground as I hurry towards the cave behind the waterfall past the outskirts of this dirty town. I plunge into the powerful current, fighting my way and then breaking through the barrier and into the dark mouth of the cave. It's dark and I am wet and I am cold and, underneath all those superficial details, I also know that I am scared and worried and so, so miserable. _

_All of the grace that has earned me fame rolls off me, pooling at my feet alongside my strength. I don't lower myself to the ground like the queen dressed in rags that I've always pretended to be, instead I fall boneless like the prisoner of destiny that I have become. I curl on the hard ground, bringing my legs close to my shattering, hurting chest. Do I do it because I am cold? Or because I am tired and scared and in pain? Kami, I am hurting! I… I do not know anymore what I feel or should feel. _

_So I stop. _

_I stop feeling and thinking and instead I just wait. _

_I waited for him. Kami, really, I did! I swear I did. I waited and waited for six hours but the Beast never came! _

_I feel my eyes stinging and feel, for the first time, the hands of dread twisting and pulling at my insides with visceral roughness. I wonder if he's dead. I wonder if my village too has been reduced to dancing flames. _

_After a while the truth sinks in. He's not coming, perhaps he never will. Slowly, I stand up, using the wall of the cave as support lest I fall flat on my face. My legs hurt and feel so weak that I wobble uncertain for a bit. I concentrate on everything but myself, hoping that the oppressive feeling in my frozen heart would loosen enough to allow me to think, to breathe, to move, to walk! _

_I give a hesitant step towards the exit and then another. And after that it is a matter of reminding myself that I need to keep walking. Move one foot, now the other, now the first one again and so on. The force of the water hitting me forces more coherence out of me and I swim and make my way to the shore. I pull myself out of the watery bowl and then I shuffle forward, stupor still holding part of my thoughts. Keep breathing. Keep breathing. That's it. One foot, now the other. Keep going, keep going. _

_It is with those words ringing in my head that I return to the darken village, wet and hollow and miserable and… and then… then I see him. My heart leaps to him and my feet, those treacherous little things, move me towards him with a power I cannot fight against. Or maybe I just don't want to? _

_Ryuu sees me and meets me halfway and then, with a passion that stuns me, he pulls me into his arms. I can hear his heart beating rapidly, I can feel his warmth enveloping me, I can feel his touch igniting in me life. And I am lost and alive and I know –Kami, I know!—that I can never go back to how -to what I was! I can never go back to the sleep of the Black Widow. I can never get my heart, which is beating just as rapidly, as fiercely as his, to stop its merry ticking anymore. _

"_Kami, Saori, you scared the hell out of me!" he confides, his arms tightening around my shivering form, his words melting the last restrains I had, the last chain that had strapped my beating heart. "I've been searching for you everywhere. They told me the news about the villages to the east and I… I thought you'd gone. I thought you'd left me." _

_I shudder and breathe but cannot talk, cannot reassure, cannot explain. And so I do the only thing I can. I cry. I wail in his arms and shake and curse myself and bless my cruel, cruel fate! _

_I waited for him, I did. Part of me, a small part but a part no less, had wished the Beast had come. But the other, I am ashamed to admit, celebrated my abandonment, relishing in the fact that I had chained myself –without consciously wanting it—to another. _

_Konoha forgive my weakness, forgive my betrayal, forgive my sin! But my heart –that which I thought I had guarded with all the might of my skill, has been stolen and it does not belong to me. I have sin. I will sin. I will stay… because the Black Widow, you see, has been beaten at her own game. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **smiled as Naruto sauntered towards them wearing a grin that was splitting his entire foxy face in half. He made a bee-line for her, shoulders slumped nonchalantly, hands buried in the pockets of his pans. It was almost as though the victory he'd just achieve had been child's play. It was a lie, of course, verified by the slight limp in his gait.

A medic-nin interrupted whatever he had been about to say. She was young and efficient and she mended Fox with nimble fingers and an incredible chakra control. Then, bowing to them and blushing when her eyes met Tenten's, the young girl left.

Naruto shrugged at the strange episode and turned his full attention on her. He pointed towards the arena below, specifically to where medic-nins were shoving the knocked-out warrior into a stretcher.

"A present for you, oh, great leader!" he said dramatically, playfully but good-naturedly. It wasn't so much a mockery of her as it was just a casual joke.

Tenten couldn't help laughing at that and she patted his back absentmindedly. Uzumaki Naruto was cool in her book. He was funny when he wanted and strong when he needed to be. There was no better kind of ninja than the one who laughed in the face of uncertainty, and he had always done just that. Well, perhaps not _laughed _per se, but at the very least he smiled.

She was like him in many ways, she knew, only nobody ever took notice of it. Nobody seemed to even care. But that was good. It was for the best. She did not resent anyone for it. It was expected. She was a clan less-kunoichi lacking even a last name and she'd long since made her peace with that.

"Yosh, only one more un-youthful ninja left!" Lee pointed out with a smile so wide and white that, had it been a sunny day, it would have blinded the people on the very back of the arena with its reflection.

"This one's gonna be a feisty one," Naruto acknowledge, blue eyes zeroing on the big figure that had just stepped into the battlefield.

The weapon mistress allowed herself a smile. She had been waiting for this opportunity. The man below was Ryoka Isamu. He was one of the best swordsmen in the entire competition. Like her, his skills revolved around the usage of weapons and, because of that, she believed he would make for a good exhibition fight.

Not thinking much about it, she took hold of the railing, preparing to jump down, when a hand clasped around her forearm and, forcefully, pulled her back. Her head snapped to the individual on her right and brown eyes locked with the dark, broody gaze of Uchiha Sasuke.

Her eyes widened when the full consequence of his action pushed aside her surprise. Fuck! He'd screwed up and he knew it! He knew it because right then his eyes held a glint of utter surprise and, just below that, the deepest apology! Fuck. Fuck. _Fuck_!

_Damn it, Uchiha! _She cursed silently, the hamster in her head running like crazy to spin the gears of her brain. But the only thing she came up with was the unwelcomed realization that this shouldn't have come as a surprise in the first place. It was in the genetic code of every male to protect what they considered the weaker sex. But she was a ninja, for crying out loud, not a weak damsel in distress! Not only that, but she was their appointed leader!

Had she made an erred oversight? Should she have consulted with them first? Allowed them to voice their concerns about her sudden decision to join in the fight today? Did she take for granted their respect, the fact that they had been following her unquestioningly for the past few days?

Granted, she'd expected Sai to at least question her in the last second, but she hadn't thought any of them would actually use force to stop her! _But Sai questions! _A voice inside her argued and she understood in that moment how she'd failed to take into account all the rest. Because, deep down, part of her _knew_ that this would happen.

In the last few days, since the tournament started, to be precise, Tenten had detected how differently each member of her team interacted with her. It just wouldn't do to have them all fighting to see who would protect her the most, after all. So, perhaps unconsciously, they'd all chosen a specific role to play in this mission.

Sai _questioned_ her, at every available opportunity, and though it annoyed her sometimes, he kept her on her toes –thinking further ahead than she normally would. Lee _supported_ her, with a smile, a thumbs-up or a wink he conveyed to her that he was there for her and, unconsciously, gave her the confidence needed to deal with being the woman in charge. Naruto _distracted _her, by joking with her and keeping the atmosphere light she was saved from being overwhelmed by stress, the laughter easing it out before it could accumulate on her back. Then there was Sasuke. The lone survivor of the Uchiha massacre _protected_ her. On his shoulders he'd taken the responsibility to keep her out of harm's way, perhaps relishing in the fact that he was keeping someone safe as opposed to extinguishing a life.

So it was only natural that his protective instincts would be triggered by a decision that to him had appeared to have been made on a whim! But she'd thought about this! She'd planned for this! And both of them had made a mistake because she had failed to see something that was clear to all but her blinded self!

She gulped, wrecking her brain for a way out of this. And though she wasn't Shikamaru and could, therefore, not plan hundreds of steps ahead, she was a natural when it came to improvising. So plunging into the persona Tsunade had created for this mission, the weapon mistress adapted to her surroundings and… she did what her character would do when confronted by one of her _playthings_.

She felt her lips parting into a smile she hoped was seductive and she twisted her arm out of his weakened grasp. She saw a questioning look settling on his face before she'd grabbed him by the front of his white gi and, without an ounce of hesitation –lest she would lose her courage—she pulled him flush against her.

Her lips crashed against his with the rough urgency of a heated but not passionate kiss. She parted her lips and her tongue lashed out to lick his lower lip. Sasuke, to her surprise, stepped forward and deepened the kiss. In response to his sudden raw need, she stepped back and out of his range. She smiled coyly at him and shook her head, as though she was chiding a naughty little boy, tsking below her breath.

The crowd came alive again and Tenten sighed, knowing that their cover had been saved. To everyone outside her team, Sasuke had acted in a protective impulse to keep her for himself and Saito Ai had assured him that everything would be okay before chiding him for his lack of self-control.

Turning her back on Sasuke, she walked towards the railing with a purpose. Lee was standing nearby with his jaw slack and hanging open. Tenten chuckled and, with one finger, she pushed it close, pecking him chastely on the lips so that the crowd would understand she felt nothing for any of them outside of lust. After all, her character was a cold-hearted, power-lusty bitch, as Tsunade had excitedly described her.

Unbuttoning her cloak, making it a point to ignore her outfit, she slipped out of it and tossed it at Lee, who was still gawking at her with eyes wider than they usually where. Tenten graced him with another seductive smile before she jumped down, revealing to the crowd that she was not only the owner of fabulous fighters, but that she was prepared to fight as well.

Unable to stop himself from giving her at least a once-over, the referee stepped towards her and, with cheeks flushed –did he liked what he saw?- asked under what name she would like to be presented. Tenten thought about it for a while before the perfect name came to mind. She'd heard her mother called her that whenever she'd seen her practice, right before she'd left for that mission that had cost her her life.

"Silver Dancer," she answered and took her time to acknowledge the wild crowd. It was fitting, that name, for today Tenten would show them all what it meant to play with blades.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji**'s world went dark. He tried to move, tried to breathe, but he was paralyzed as he watched with incredulity the result of her action. Because the action, her _damn_ action, had ended in a _kiss_. A kiss she had initiated but which Sasuke was clearly retuning. He felt his muscles tensing almost painfully and only later did he realize that he somehow, somewhere along the way, had jumped to his feet. But now his body, against his explicit orders to jump and _kill_, was lowering itself back onto the hard bench.

A hand, warm and firm and very real, squeezed his shoulder and he forced himself to tear his gaze away from that… _that_ sight in order to acknowledge the man behind him. Shikamaru shook his head curtly and, once he was certain Neji was under control –or as much control as he'd managed when he'd gathered his scattered wits—he freed him from his shadow-binding.

By the time he turned back to the balcony, Sasuke was sitting on a bench, wide-eyed and slightly perplexed. Tenten, however, was already on the arena, her cloak out of the way to reveal a curvaceous figure which -it was quite evident- she'd been concealing under baggy clothes for all the time he'd known her. He was sure that some of his brain cells just went up and committed suicide right then and there, especially when he took note of how much cleavage she was showing.

Of course the urge to march up to her and demand that she cover herself swiftly crept its way into his thoughts, but he pushed the instinct –feeling?- aside forcibly. His hands, however, squeezed the life out of his knees.

"She did good," Shikamaru commended near his ear, his voice low and his words pronounced with the care one takes when feeding a hungry lion. Neji didn't –couldn't say anything. What was he supposed to do? Commend her on her amazing skill at shoving her tongue down that Uchiha's throat!

Shikamaru, probably sensing his anger, sighed. One of his hands came up to massage the side of his neck. He seemed rather uncomfortable at the moment and Neji couldn't blame him. He was not the best company right now and he knew it. Kami, he just wanted to kill something… or _someone_ as slowly and as cruelly as Itachi had been known to do.

"Listen… she did what she had to do," Shikamaru defended, his words implying that he perhaps knew something about how Neji was feeling. Well, if the man could tell him what the feeling meant, then great. If not, then he should just shut up.

"She could have hit him too," Neji found himself blurting out coldly.

Shikamaru seemed just about to say something else, but the referee announced the fighters, Silver Dancer vs. Ryoka Isamu, and Neji lost whatever interest he had on the ninja, concentrating instead on the woman that was slowly but surely driving him insane. For a moment, as he noticed how big the man looked in comparison with the slimmer and shorter figure of Tenten, he felt his anger disappearing to be replaced instead by growing concern.

_Better show him what you're made of, Tenten, _he warned her, activating his byakugan and posing it on her with the single purpose of letting her know that he was there. Of hoping that she remembered what he'd confided to her. That he would never _ever_ let her down. And if that man so much as threatened her life, he would damn the mission and her pride and he would rip the man apart!

The referee's hand chopped down at the air, signaling that the fight had commenced. Tenten, all agile grace, lunged not towards her opponent but towards the sky. She twirled in mid-air, opening up a small scroll she'd strapped to her back, and, with a blooded finger, she summoned two swords out.

Isamu tilted his head, amused probably by the fact that she was challenging him to a duel with weapons that were not even a quarter of the thickness of his own sword. Neji knew it was a mistake for him to disregard her so quickly. Sure, the man was bigger and stronger and his sword could probably slash her in half. But he was slow and Tenten was not. She was as quick as a serpent when she lashed and as graceful as a panther when she moved. Yes. She was faster and, because of that, deadlier and Neji had yet to see her equal when it came to wielding weapons, even swords.

It didn't matter, of course. In time, she proved all this to the arrogant brute and the skeptical crowd as she continued her relentless attacks. Tenten was dancing now. Unlike Lee, she danced alone. During his fight, Lee had danced around his opponent, forcing him to become the unwilling partner. Tenten, however, danced with her swords. They were her partners, willing and moving in sync with her body so that it almost seemed as though they were alive and happy to follow her to the gates of hell or the edge of heaven.

She… She was liquid silver, her movement free and fluid and graceful and simply natural. She danced and her swords sang as they parted the air and came to clash again and again on the sword of her opponent. But then blood started to stain their steely surface as some of her thrusts and lashes hit home, plunging into tender skin that was ill protected against their biting edge.

Tenten laughed and twirled and spun and played, oblivious to everyone but the feeling of the silver in her hands. It was fitting the name she'd chosen. She was showing them a silver dance that seemed beautiful and dangerous and seductive and so sacred, he felt as though this should be regarded with absolute and unbreakable silence.

But it wasn't. The crowd was on their feet, crazed by the smell of blood and the lithe body of a nymph of steel. They cheered for her, called her nickname, whistled and clapped as she plunged her sword in Ryoka's arm. She was smirking as she regarded him and, in the short pause that ensured, wherein the warriors just stared at each other unblinkingly, Neji realized that, though the sand was crimson with blood, Tenten's body was unharmed, unmarked, unstained even when her swords were coated red.

Then Isamu made another attack, slow and weakened by the loss of blood. With laughable ease Tenten sidestepped at the last second, twisting around to slash at his lower back. The man grunted and fell to his knees, unable to regain his feet. Tenten, eyes dilated by the bouts of adrenaline running through her body, turned to face the referee.

The man moved towards Ryoka and conversed with him for a few seconds, before straightening up and proclaiming what they all already knew. The Silver Dancer had won. The crowd went wild and Neji… he just stared at her, knowing what he should be feeling but not understanding what he _truly_ felt. He closed his eyes, sighed and then, regaining his feet, he left. Whether Shikamaru had called for him or not, he couldn't tell. His voice, if indeed it had risen, was lost amidst the crowd's loud cheers and his own tumultuous thoughts.

**-o0o-**

_She was on her back, her pants wet not with blood but with something else, something warm that oozed a disgustingly bitter smell. Her small frame shook, muscles tensing painfully as adrenaline kept rushing through her body, screaming at her to get up and run! Her hand tightened around the hilt of her kunai, the silver blade coated red as was part of her hand. But the weapon was heavy and she could not move it. She was petrified, frozen in place, in a pool of what she now understood was her own urine._

_In front of her, keeping the black serpent at bay, was the slim, raven-haired figure of her mother. Her pale body seemed to glow as she shielded her. She was a ray of hope amidst the blood and darkness and her brown eyes latched onto her, afraid to lose her like she'd lost all the rest. _

_Her mother, all stern faced courage, was yelling and hissing at the serpent, but her words, her threats were lost to the small child. Her mind felt too sluggish, too tired, too preoccupied with dealing with everything that was happening. She wondered if she should stop. She wondered if she should shake her head and make it blank. Because what if the only way for her to move would be to stop thinking? But no! She couldn't! She mustn't! He'd told her to always think! That it could -that it would one day save her! _

_The Serpent lashed at her mother, wounding her arm and almost making her lose the hold on her short sword. The seven year old felt tears stinging her eyes, blurring the image of the two figures that were locked in a battle she could not join. Kami, she was afraid and she couldn't move and she just wanted to go, to leave, to run! _

_Where was the Dragon? Where had he gone? Was he hurt? Was he… was he… dea- Her air pipe constricted and a wrecking sob was torn unmercifully out of her throat by the hands of despair. _

_Where was the Dragon? He was important!_

_As though having sensed her anguish, he came with the power of a tempestuous storm. He rushed through the open door and he was not alone. Two smoky dragons twirled around him, his silver body gliding in the center of the grey whirlwind of smooth scales. Relief flooded her. The Dragon roared and growled as he crashed onto the Serpent, biting and wounding the dark creature before he could hurt her mom. _

_Her mother took the moment given to approach her, her brow marked with worry and stress. She knelt beside her and took her hand. "We have to go, Tenten," she said, her urgent voice laced with fear almost as palpable as hers. _

_Her mom's eyes turned towards the two fighting figures and the girl saw hesitation surfacing in the gray color of her orbs. But then the Dragon roared an order that Tenten could not understand and, in seconds, she was pulled to her feet and they were moving, escaping, running away! _

_They were gliding through the ocean of greens and brows again, shadows moving with them behind them, beside them, around them! Her mother cursed like she'd never heard her curse before, her eyes wide and somewhat crazed. _

"_Stay close to me!" She ordered, letting go of her hand to unsheathe her small sword. But Tenten didn't have to be told. Her free hand gripped her dark coat, fingers fisting around the cold fabric as though it was a flimsy safety line that could be cut at anytime. "Damn it!" _

_As if heeded by her mother's curse, shadows jumped out of their hiding place. They were many, so many! Tenten felt her eyes welling with tears again. Why could they not leave them alone! Why were they doing this! _

_Then, just as they were closing in on them with menacing smiles on their darken faces, a man of fire came down from the skies followed closely by a man of lightning. They bellowed something like a war cry before they proceeded in destroying the shadows with baffling efficiency. Tenten's heart jumped out of her chest when the fire man's white eyes came to rest on them, focusing intently on her for a bit. She stepped closer to her mother but she, in turn, relaxed._

"_It's okay, Tenten," she said, taking a hold of her hand. "They are here to help… everything will be alright."_

_Tenten nodded. Her mother knew them, even if she had never seen them before. It was alright. It would be alright. She had said so and she'd never lied. _

"_Where's the rest of them? Where's the Dragon?" the lightning one-eyed man suddenly questioned, reminding her of the companion they'd left behind. _

_Instinctively, she turned towards the direction where she knew the Dragon had stayed only to hear a huge, shaking explosion. Tongues of smoke and flames painted the sky red, right above –she knew! She just knew!- where they'd been not too long ago. _

_Tenten felt her mother letting go of her hand and, though she knew she should be attempting to grab it again, she couldn't. There was no strength left inside her shaking frame. Something inside her broke -she didn't know what exactly, only that it had. Oh, Kami, it had! Then, out of nowhere, someone screamed at the top of their lungs. It was loud and piercing and it screeched in her skull with such intensity that she placed her hands on her ears, trying to tune it out. But the miserable wail continued and she fell to her knees with tears streaming down her cheeks. And the screaming tore at her heart because she knew, she understood…_

_The Dragon, the creature of silver that had helped her… he… he was dead… _

**Tenten** sat up, breathing shallow, heart hammering painfully in her ribcage, sweat rolling off of her in sluggish beads, despite how cold the room felt. She shut her eyes, bringing her hands to hold the head that seemed so heavy with nightmares that made no sense, but which felt so vividly real she was still lost in their aftermath.

_Breathe, Tenten, breathe, _she commanded, sucking in air then holding it for three seconds then exhaling softly. _Suck, one, two, three, breathe. Suck, one, two, three, breathe_. Her jittery emotions somewhat settled so that she was able to hear silence instead of the war drum that had been her heart.

She sighed and ungracefully crashed back into her bed, looking at the plain ceiling of the tavern they were currently lodged in. For a while she just focused on listening, trying to figure out if she had woken someone. But there was nothing. No one stirred. No one talked. No one paid her any mind and she was okay with that. She always had.

"Are you okay?"

Her eyes widened slightly with having been caught off-guard. _Fuck_… she really was distracted if she hadn't even heard him slip inside, nor had she, at the very least, felt his presence. But there he was, the quiet companion that had always been by her side.

She turned towards the spot where his voice had come from. Hyuga Neji was perched on the windowsill, the light of the full moon outside casting a glow that made him look like an ethereal ghost –a good looking one at that.

"I'm always fine," she said, smiling at him weakly in hopes of lightning the eerie mood they'd set.

He quirked an elegant eyebrow, "Like I never frown?"

"Busted," she chuckled mirthlessly, her brown eyes sliding towards the ceiling, where they proceeded to count the multiple, dark stains that littered the surface. How did those even get all the way up there?

"Tenten," he called sternly, hinting to the very possible fact that he would not let her slip by with just a smile and a laugh. Not this time.

She sighed and ran a hand through her unbound hair, pushing wet, plastered bangs away from her forehead. Kami, she was tired. She was exhausted. But he had asked something with that one word and she knew he would not leave until she answered. Part of her, though, wondered if she wanted him to go. Perhaps she should keep quiet…

"Have…," she grimaced slightly at her shaky tone, her eyes still glued to the plain-looking ceiling. She cleared her throat and tried again, "Have you ever had nightmares?"

"Yes," he responded simply.

She smirked, selfishly wishing she could sound just as unconcerned, "How did you deal with them?"

"I woke up," he said, as though the answer should have been obvious. But for all his callousness, the fact that he was still there told her that he cared. That he wanted to listen to whatever she had to say, regardless of how inane it sounded.

"I… I see," she whispered. Kami, she was stupid sometimes. She was wasting his time with childish fears. The Dragon wasn't dead. He didn't even exist to begin with! So why should she care? And why, oh why, did she still felt so overwhelmingly sad…?

"Why did you do it?" he asked suddenly, his tone just as soft as hers had been. Had she not been unconsciously searching for the smooth string of his voice, she would have probably missed it.

"Did what?" She was confused, her attention falling on him, on the proud form that was still perched on the windowsill, arms folded across his chest, head tilted down. But his deep, ivory gaze, unblinking and predatory, laid solely on her.

"Why did you kiss him?" His voice was harsher and made her wonder if something as trivial as that had made him this upset. Or was there perhaps something else on his mind that made his brow furrowed in such a way?

"Because I had to," she said with a small shrug. This time it was her turn to sound unconcerned. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to like that very much, the clenching of his hands told her as much.

"You could have punched him," he argued, before she could ask the reason for his anger.

She nodded curtly at that, "I could have. I _would_ have. But not Saito Ai. And I wasn't me, I was her." She grabbed a lock of her unbound hair and twirled it between her fingers absently. Why was he asking such a strange thing? Surely he'd understood why she'd done what she'd done, right? Just for good measure, she added, "Ai did what was only natural for her. She kissed him and chided him and kept him under her control. To Ai it meant _power_, to Tenten…," her eyes were on his and she knew that, deep down, she wanted him to know this, "to me it meant _nothing_."

His jaw unclenched, his hands un-fisted, his eyes soften on the edges. Whatever had worried him she'd clearly sorted out with her explanation. She wondered the reason for it, but figured best that she did not pry –at least not when he'd seemed to have forgiven her for whatever affront she'd committed. It oddly felt, however, as though the answer was simple but no matter how much she fished, she couldn't find it. Kami, she felt so stupid right now. She was so tired she could hardly think straight anymore.

Neji regained his feet and turned around. With a swift motion of his hand, he opened the window and she realized that he was ready to leave her, to abandon her! The undeniable fact struck a cord within her that left a bitter taste on her mouth and made her hands tremble slightly with apprehension.

"Neji," she called without thinking, instinct prompting that one word to escape her lips. The man stopped and slowly turned around to face her, one hand holding the window open. She closed her eyes and smirked imperceptivity, chiding herself for presuming that he could or would want to waste his precious time with her. "Hmph… never mind."

"No," he responded curtly, making her open her eyes to regard him with confusion mixed with increasing curiosity.

"What?" she asked dumbly.

"Whatever you want to say, I want to hear it," he explained laconically, closing the window in emphasis, in silent warning that he would not leave until she spoke her mind.

And suddenly, the whirlwind of emotions that had assaulted her during her nightmare came back, crashing against her full force and pushing her into a state of semi-awareness, her consciousness too flooded to make much sense of anything.

"Stay," escaped her lips in a voice that exposed how incompetently she was dealing with her stupid emotions. Emotions that were slowly filling her heart, caging her mind, destroying every defense of her body.

For a while he didn't say anything. Instead he simply approached her until he was towering her weakened, paralyzed form. He regarded her silently for a while longer before inquiring, "Is that an order?"

She closed her eyes, feeling tears welling in her eyes. She didn't shed them though, she never had, no matter how many assaulted her blood-shot eyes. "No," she croaked finally, honesty tearing the word out of her throat.

She still had her eyes closed, afraid of what she would see if she posed her gaze on him. But when she felt the mattress sinking with his weight, her lids flew open to find ivory eyes staring intently at her. He was lying on his side, facing her, surprisingly near yet saying nothing. He just watched her with something she didn't understand but which made her feel… _safe_.

Her eyes were still welled with tears but she managed a small smile in thanks. Neji shifted slightly and, with no hesitation, he placed one of his hands –open palm facing upward—in between them. She understood what he was doing, and she loved him all the more for it. Without making him wait, she reached out and placed her hand on his, relishing on the softness of his smooth skin. It was like silk, so unlike her own, yet here they were. One of them giving comfort, the other one accepting it with open arms.

In a bold move which she promptly blamed on her tired brain, she intertwined her shorter fingers with his and, to her pleasant surprise and deep gratitude, he allowed her. Then, after a second or so, he squeezed her hand, reassuring her that it was okay, that it was fine, that –maybe?- he had wanted this as well.

Trying not to overthink things for once, she closed her eyes and was soon lost in a dreamless but peaceful night. Yes. Tenten slept because Hyuga Neji was keeping her nightmares at bay.

**To be continued…**


	6. Steely Resolution

**Revised:** 5/21/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers: **Tenten's1, DarkAnonymous324, I can Hear the Sea, Just Lovely _and_ anniewanny2.

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"_Dreams have only one owner at a time. That's why dreamers are lonely."_

_~Erma Bombeck~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 6: "Steely Resolution"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_I wrap my cloak tighter around my body and shuffle quietly inside the shady-looking tavern. It also happens, to my great relief, to be an inn. I wearily approach the front desk and ask for a room. The old, grizzly man behinds the counter tries to peer at my face, but I lower my head so that he is only able to see my mouth from underneath my dark hood. He shrugs unconcerned, takes my money –I paid more for a room all to myself- and then, with a toothless grin, he gives me a key and points me in the right direction. _

_With a shallow but polite bow I leave for my room and once inside I close and lock the door and unhook my cold, wet cloak from around my neck. I drape it across the back of a wooden chair and move the piece of creaking wood near the chimney. I start the fire and hope that my cloak would dry for when I need it on the morrow, for Kami knows I cannot afford to catch a cold. _

_When my body warms up, I move back towards a vanity. The mirror there is old and chipped on the edges, but it's clear enough for me to regard my reflection. I flinch when I noticed my ragged appearance. My black hair is frizzled and, therefore, all over the place. The plain, civilian clothes I'm wearing are by now caked with dirt and ripped in more than one place, but at least they have survived in relatively good state half my trip. _

_On a whim, I bring my shirt up and over my head, slipping it off without a trace of mortification. I throw it down at my feet unceremoniously and gaze at my half-naked, pale body. My hands shake slightly as I bring them up to my stomach. My fingers caress softly the swollen bump that is finally starting to show._

_Kami, no matter how much I see it, it still takes my breath away! _

_I twist sideways so that my profile is reflected and I am able to better admire what moments of fierce passion –and I would like to think also love—have created. Despite how tired I am, I smile with unanticipated happiness. Kami! There is life inside me! Inside ME! I…I am harboring it and it feels so… so strange and magical. I have been dead for so long that never in a thousand years would I have believed that I was capable of giving life, of bringing something into this world that was not destruction and death! _

_A small pang of pain tugs at my heart and I close my eyes, trying to shield against the wave of disillusion that I wish I could keep at bay, but which I know has an inevitable arrival. I wonder, for the fifteenth time, if I should have told Ryuu before I left, but I dismiss the thought just as quickly as it forms. _

_He is a leader of a rather stern and close-minded Clan, I fear. And though I would like to think they are different, experience hastens my prudence. Granted, I have no clan –and perhaps never will- to call my own. But that doesn't mean I am ignorant of how they work. Kami knows I've been around enough of these types of clans to know that a child born out of marriage would be shunned at best and hunted down and even killed at worst. And I would first die rather than see someone touching this… this life… this small spark that will give testament to the fact that, once upon a time, there was an 'us' in my miserable life._

_No. The stakes are too high. I cannot afford to risk something that's… that's so precious to me, even when the life inside my womb is flimsy and only half-made. _

"_Saori," his voice coming out of nowhere snaps me off my trance and I spin around to face him, my face probably betraying my surprise. How has he found me! Better yet, how did he manage to slip inside my room without me even knowing it! Was I really that distracted? _

_On instinct, my hands immediately move, not to hide my perky breasts, but to my womb, to hide and protect what lays beneath my skin and within my bigger body. Ryuu is just standing there, near the closed door, glued to his place by the sight of me –or rather, by the alteration within me, it would seem. For his honey eyes keep moving from me to the unborn child that is still in the stage of forming. _

_Fear rushes in, pushing back my surprise and longing. Then the fear turns to biting anger that could probably light a fire even in a torrential rain like the one that has been assailing the Earth Country for these past few days. Still, I know I am at a disadvantage. My weapons I left in my pack which is near the door, and I have nothing to protect myself but my own body which, unfortunately, has been weakened by lack of proper rest. So, I give a step back and pour all my defiance into my eyes, letting him know that I don't care. If he tries something to harm the child I will—_

"_Is… is it… is it mine?" he asks and there is, to my confusion, not doubt in his voice but hope. Pure and raw and unhidden hope. _

_I don't know what to say. In fact, I don't know what to think. I hadn't prepared myself for something like this. All the scenarios I had foreseen had been on the pessimistic side, after all. With a life like the one I have been living, with the secrets I have been hiding, it was only natural that I would think the worst first. _

_At a complete loss, I force my body –it takes a lot but I pull it off- to relax. Bearing my stomach to his further scrutiny, I nod. Ryuu's eyes widen and so many things flash through his eyes that I feel disoriented and lost and quite uncertain. But I don't feel any hostility from him. So, I do not move when his long legs swallow the distance separating us with four wide strides. _

"_Kami, Saori!" he gasps and, before I know it, one of his callous hands is atop my stomach and… he feels so warm and known and right! I've missed this! I realize it now how much I've missed his hands on my body, his warmth wrapping around me, filling me with a sense of comfort I have never known before. "A child," he whispers and I detect excitement and awe lacing his voice. The sheer intensity of his unblinking gaze makes me shudder. _

"_Yes," I say unhelpfully and the words are a dry whisper being pushed out of my patchy throat. I realize I am thirsty but make no move to retrieve my canteen from where I've left it near the door. Truthfully, I'm afraid. Afraid to break this moment of… of truce. I'm afraid to move and realize that he is not truly there, but that he is merely a product of my imagination learning to take flight. _

_But then he talks again and the reality of this is reinforced in my head. "When did you know this? Why didn't you tell me? Is this why you left, Saori?" he asks one question after the other, allowing me no time to answer. There is also pain laced in his words when he asks the last one, as if he could not believe I would be keep this from him. _

_I can't stand to look into his eyes anymore because I see the reproach there. Perhaps I should have told him, but how was I to know how he would take it? As much as I love him, this child… I cannot explain what he means to me. I… I cannot afford to lose him! He is irrevocable proof of how something good can come out from something as broken and spoiled as me. The opportunity to bring some good to the word is too much to risk! Can you not understand that Ryuu! _

_This child proves that I am human! _

_Still, Ryuu waits for his answers and I hear myself speak the honest truth and nothing else, "I found out two weeks ago. I… I am three months pregnant." I pause, trying to keep my thoughts in order, "I-I did not tell you because I was… I am scared, Ryuu!" My hands move towards my stomach and, without really thinking about it, I end up placing them on top of his. I squeeze, begging him to understand my actions, "I do not wish to cause problems with your Clan, nor do I wish to put this child in harm's way. I had to leave, I had to! You understand?" _

"_No," he says and then he does something that makes me gasp. He pulls me into his strong arms gently but fiercely. I feel his strength increase as mine decreases so that I end up clinging to him, my arms wrapping around his strong torso, my hands fisting on his shirt. I had been traveling non-stop and it has taken a toll on me! Kami, I am tired! I am scared! And right now I am… safe? _

_I closed my eyes and feel tears –not mine, but his!—falling into my naked shoulder. I cannot believe this and I push him a bit away, feeling the need to confirm what I already know. Ryuu shifts his hold so that I am able to see his tear streaked face. There is happiness in his orbs and relief which causes me to feel the same. I close my eyes when I feel his lips touching my forehead with overwhelming tenderness. It causes me to sway and melt. Yes, I melt in his embrace for a short eternity. _

_Kami, I've missed this! I've missed him! _

"_I love you, Saori," he whispers, kissing me. And I dare believe he speaks the truth. "Kami, I love you…"_

"_As do I," I answer, trembling at finally fully opening my heart to this man; at finally betraying the oath I've always tried to live by but which I cannot fulfill anymore. _

_I love, and that is the truth._

"_Come back with me," he pleads, pressing his forehead against mine. It is only until now that I realize that he is actually soaked from following me through the torrential storm. How queer that I did not notice it before… "Saori… come back with me and be my wife."_

_I laugh at how easily those words just come out of his lips. I would be lying if I said I hadn't dreamt about this moment, though never quite like this. Yet, I would take reality over fantasy any and every time. And so I kiss him fiercely in answer. When he seems unsatisfied, I try another approach. _

"_Yes," I say. _

_That seems to do the trick because he grins boyishly at me. To my bafflement, I realize that that small three-lettered-word had given me love, safety and –for the first time ever—it will give me a family to call my own. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **had an entire speech prepared. He had gone through thousands of scenarios in his head and had dealt with each and every one of them with upmost composure. He had prepared himself against the worst but had, arguably, hoped for the best. He'd prayed, above all else, that he would be able to keep his emotions under close check, not wishing them to leak and cause a breech with the only person he truly cared about. All of this had been organized, maintained, followed and believed up until the moment he'd seen her tossing and turning on her bed, the blankets scrunched up below her body, imprinting her tormented night into their folds.

Yes. What Neji had failed to take into account was the effect _she_ had on him. Because unknown to her -and until recently to him too- Tenten held the power to turn him into a killing machine or a bloody fool with just one look, one smile, one touch... And granted, though he wasn't crazy about it, he didn't fight it. Why would he? To fight this almost visceral reaction would have been like fighting the rain from falling when the sky was grey and ready. It was absurd to even think of it and amazingly stupid to even try it.

So he didn't.

Needless to say, nothing else had gone as planned. By the end, when he thought all that needed to be said had been said and done, she had stopped him from leaving with a single word. It was a peculiar request that, nonetheless, had made his heart somersault. Tenten had asked him to stay and, like the mindless slave he'd been reduced to, he'd stayed.

Naturally, trying to keep up the pretence that his mind had not been made solely by her, he'd asked for her reasons. Regardless of the answer she gave, the outcome wouldn't have changed. Not that he'd been aiming to determine that. Rather when he'd asked if it was an order, he had truly just wanted to find out who was the one asking for his company. Was it the fake Ai or the genuine Tenten? When she'd finally answered, he'd been relieved to learn that it had been the latter the one who'd spoken.

Thus, here he was, keeping her company, maintaining silent vigilance over her peacefully slumbering and ravishingly beautiful form. Part of him was keenly aware that he might be taking advantage of her tired state. But his other part, which was also the biggest, just didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was so… absolutely stunning.

He also had enough clearance of mind to reprove himself for being here, in bed with a beautiful woman instead of doing his job, which was nothing short of being out there, helping Kiba and Shikamaru run surveillance around town. But like with all the rest when it came to her lately, he just didn't care. He couldn't move. He wouldn't move from her side until she expressed that it was okay for him to leave.

As he watched her sleep, Neji's mind replayed what had happened. The thing was, the prodigy had expected a confrontation when he'd stolen his way into her room, not a confession. He'd expected her anger and reprisal at his harsh demands, not her tiredness and certainly not her tears!

The prodigy frowned as he went through his memories of her, searching for another time when he would have seen her on the verge of tears. He realized, mildly surprised, that he'd never seen her cry. As a matter of fact, not even during her mother's funeral had the kunoichi shed a tear. He didn't know whether that was commendable or wrong. He hadn't known Tenten much at the time. They had just become teammates a month or so before, and though he'd considered it a bit odd, he'd shrugged it off as non important. Now, however, he wondered at the reasons for it.

Even more, he wondered at what she had been dreaming. What kind of nightmare could have shaken her to the point where she'd almost done what her mother's death hadn't pushed her to do? Above all else, he realized that it had _pained_ him. Truly it had. It had hurt him almost physically to have seen her so heartbreakingly sad. It was this fact what had played a major role in prompting him to lie down with her –a thing he had never done before, not even during those few missions where they had been forced to share a room.

_What monsters stalk your subconscious, Tenten?_ He wondered, reaching out to push one of her bangs aside. The touch, light and brief as it was, caused her to move closer to him, as if subconsciously seeking his warmth. Neji kept very still, not really sure what to do, heedful of the fact that he didn't wish unnecessary distance between them.

Her face, ended up mere inches away from his, so that even with the dim light, he was able to make out a cut on her lower lip which marked how she'd abused them not long ago. He closed his eyes, trying to push away the sudden desire to taste those lips. It hit him right then and there, that it wasn't the fact that Sasuke had outdone him when it came to Tenten what had bothered him. No. It was the fact that he had done what Neji had only _dreamt_ of doing.

Yes. He'd had his fair share of dreams about her, with her, of her. Every time, he'd woken out of breath, tensed and filled with pent-up desire. Then, just as wakefulness had cleared the last hazy remnants of his dreams away, he'd been left with _regret_. Cold, lonely, unwelcomed and unacceptable. The arrogant fool that he most times was, he'd attributed the feeling of remorse to the fact that he'd dared seen his partner in such a crude light. It was unbecoming for someone who considered himself a gentleman.

However, it was until recently, when another vivid dream had left him hot and bothered, that he'd realized that the regret he felt was not for what had happened in his dreams, but precisely because it had _only_ happened in his head. The disillusion of waking gave birth to regret. Regret that his vulnerable mind understood only when his subconscious was awake, bearing his innermost secrets, his fiercest desires, his fragile hopes.

And why would this realization be surprising? Tenten was, after all, not a prize for the best competitor! No, she was… she was… He growled. He truly didn't know. He knew what she _meant_ but he was at a loss as to how to properly describe it. The closest he could get was betting that she was more important and unique than anything and everything else in his life, including his Clan!

Tenten shifted even closer, calling his attention back to her and to his present situation. It took only seconds for his male instincts to kick in and his hormones to pull his wayward thoughts down the gutter. Neji, all of a sudden feeling quite dizzy, pushed away from the bed. Without really thinking about the implications his actions might incur, he stripped his shirt off.

He lied down again, praying that the room temperature would cool down, only to feel Tenten's leg move upwards, her knee pressing into his groin. He closed his eyes again, concentrating on bringing the cursed, seared memory of Lee and Gai wearing speedos to the forefront of his mind. In seconds his primal urges where tamed and, with a sigh, he opened his eyes to stare at her.

He thought of moving back, of putting some distance between them if only to keep his dwindling sanity from fully slipping between his fingers. But as if to counter his plan, the hand which had held his moments ago, moved towards him and, finding his limb it slid halfway up his forearm, gripping him there and successfully holding him in place.

Neji's own hand, in instinctive reaction, twisted up to also grip her forearm. It was, he knew, his way of relaying that he was indeed pleased, if not incredibly comfortable, by the closeness they now shared. His only regret was that she wasn't aware of it. Regardless of it, the heart of the matter was that it felt _right_. This they were sharing… it came natural and it just felt as though this was what they were made for. This was why they'd met. This was what fate had dictated. Destiny weaved all our lives, did it not? So why fight destiny when it was clear to him, this was the path that it had set for him?

Yes. Tenten was his destiny. She had to be! And if not, then he would damn destiny and its cruel hands and he would chose to believe she was his path, his journey and his destination!

Neji stayed like that as the hours tickled by. Curled up on his side, watching her intently, he wondered what she would think if she knew he'd spent the entire night wide awake by her side. The thought did not deter him from gazing at the work of art that continued her peaceful slumber, her skin being repainted with different shades as the hours glided by. Until what were once dark shadows turned into soft shades...

Hyuga Neji did not know what time it was. He didn't even make the effort of trying to guess. He was too distracted to think of such banal things, which is why he was surprised when he heard the door opened after a quick knock. He extracted himself from her grasp smoothly but slowly, not wishing to stir her awake, even when he knew that the knock had already prompted just that.

To his irritation and, as inconsistently as it sounded, his satisfaction it was Sasuke the one who'd stepped inside. His dark gaze moved from him to the stirring Tenten, who was now stretching lazily, not fully aware –he guessed- of the two men who stared at her intently.

"Have you no manners, Uchiha," Neji stated dryly, crossing his arms and glaring coldly at him. He was about to stop there, but he couldn't help adding, "Common courtesy dictate to wait for the knock to be answered and permission granted before opening the door. What would have happened had she not been decent?"

Uchiha Sasuke frowned slightly, probably not liking the tone with which he was being addressed, but still had the gall to point out, "There's only one half-naked person here."

Neji was unaffected by the comment, though he did managed to perceive Tenten's gasp from somewhere behind him. He made it a point not to look at her, though he attributed the surprise he'd heard to be pleasant for otherwise he would have already felt some kind of sharp object pinching his slower spine, or so he supposed.

The silence intensified into almost palpable levels. A hostile-looking Sasuke crossed his arms and just returned Neji's glare. As the petty battle continued, Tenten seemed to have decided it was about time someone interrupted the testosterone-induced stupidity.

"Give it a rest, you two," she said, then stopped when she was unable to stifle a wide yawn. That established, she proceeded to ask, "Sasuke, what's going on out there? Did Sai already check today's fighting schedule?"

Sasuke turned his gaze on her and some of the tension in his shoulders ebbed away when he took in her curios but friendly expression. He lost all interest in Neji as he answered her.

"Yes. Sai just came back a couple of minutes ago. We'll be fighting today at three, since there are only four teams participating in the semi-finals." He paused and opened his arms slightly as though what he was going to say next was out of his control. "Unfortunately, Naruto is starving or, in his words, 'his stomach is eating itself'. Since it would be unusual to be seen without you, Sai and I deemed it best to have you come with us to get lunch."

"Why you?" Neji was unable to stop himself his possessiveness from intervening. "Isn't Lee normally the one who comes to get Tenten?"

He saw Tenten's eyebrows rise in surprise, probably at the fact that he knew of this since he hadn't been around. Of course, not because they hadn't seen him did it mean that he hadn't been keeping an eye on them… on _her_.

Sasuke shrugged and said, not to him, but to her, "I was free and so here I am."

Tenten nodded in either understanding or acceptance, maybe both, though it was painfully obvious that she hadn't been the one interested in that. Still, she said with approval, "It's a good call and we should do that, just give us a second first." She inched towards the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the cold floor. She shuddered slightly but continued offhandedly, "I'll just come and find you guys when I'm done. Tie Naruto down if you have to, and gag him if he starts to complain too loud." She smiled at Sasuke's questioning tilt of his head, "I cannot have my warriors throw a tantrum over such a silly thing now, can I?"

The Uchiha nodded curtly, though a small smile did erase some of the sternness Neji's presence had caused. Sparing one last guarded glance at him, Sasuke disappeared, closing the door behind him with a tad-bit more force than was necessary.

It was only after he left that Neji regretted not having put his shirt back on already. He suddenly felt quite vulnerable and, yes, nervous at being alone with a very conscious Tenten in a very well-lit room. Knowing he would have to face the inevitable eventually, Neji turned around and immediately found himself pinned by bright, honey eyes.

He fought the urge to cover himself and instead, placing one hand on a hip, shifted his weight onto his right foot. If she was going to scrutinize him, he might as well show all his goods.

Silently, Tenten quirked an eyebrow at him. Undaunted, Neji quirked one right back. After all, that was _his_ way of asking a question and she'd picked the habit from him.

They stayed like that for a while. Neji felt his ego being inflated when, after rapidly sweeping his body with those doe eyes, her tongue darted out to wet her dry lips. The urge to smirk was proving difficult to ignore, but with the steely disciple he'd developed, he managed to keep his stoic mask successfully in place.

Perhaps it was due to the tension –which he damn well was feeling and he only hoped she was too- or maybe her mind had entertained other thoughts. Whatever it was, Tenten chuckled and said lightly, "Not that I am complaining or anything," she paused unabashedly, smiling at him with such mischief, that he felt like groaning, "but is there a reason why you decided to strip your shirt off?"

Yes, this was Tenten. This was how she dealt with a lot of situations. She jested. But at times –like this one- he wondered if that was just her defense mechanism kicking in. And if indeed it was, then what did it meant in a grander scale? Did it mean perhaps that she had feelings –even if it was only attraction, which at least was a step towards the same destination he'd set—for him too?

Well, if she decided to turn this into a joke, he would play her game… for now. "I was hot," he answered wryly, knowing that despite his attempt at nonchalance, his cheeks flushed with the underlying confession. He could feel them burn up as her eyes widened. But then, to his pleasure, he saw a much fiercer blush wiping her grin away and spreading through her cheeks and all the way up to her ears.

"Oh," she said, comprehending the other, _truer_, meaning of his words.

Right then, Neji couldn't help the smirk that twitched his lips. And in his mind, a silent voice reminded her, _that's right, Tenten, I am merely a man after all._

**-o0o-**

**~2 days later~**

**Tenten** trudge through the crowd with a forced smile set on her face. Her teammates, some with bandages to keep their wounds from getting infected, walked around her, pushing people away as they slowly made their way back to the tavern.

"Well done, Silver Dancer!" A woman yelled from her right. When Tenten turned a smile on her, the woman squealed.

Though she was displaying a radiant smile, inside she was worried and angry and… utterly disappointed. They'd won, yes. They'd won the entire bloody thing. She'd ended up participating in the last fight, against her team's wishes, and she'd ended up with a bloody gash on her side, a sprained ankle that throbbed when she put too much weight on it and a dislocated shoulder, beside numerous smaller wounds. But what mattered is that she'd –they'd won!

And that wasn't precisely the problem. That was not the reason why her smile was forced and could not really reach her eyes. The problem was that _that_ was it! They'd won and they'd been given their prize and the town was celebrating but there was no invitation, no strange man rushing up to her, no strange riddle being sent to her, nothing!

They'd won but they'd fail, and that had made her victory bittersweet. No, that actually gave her no victory. It just gave her bitterness. This was the first mission she'd been chosen –by Tsunade herself!—to lead and she'd somehow blown it!

Had she not shown enough skill? Granted, she hadn't used her latest moves or the most effective. She had just concentrated on the flashiness, on the smoothness, on the dance and not the fight! Perhaps that was it? Perhaps she'd gone at this all wrong? Perhaps she should have finished her opponents more swiftly instead of putting on a show? Had she gotten carried away…?

Damn it! _Damn it!_ _Dam_—

She felt the steel more than saw it coming and barely managed to react before the kunai struck her right eye. Tenten twisted away and to the side, wobbling slightly when she'd put too much pressure into her sore ankle. Then, not missing a beat, she threw her cloak upwards and, feeling the tug of the projectile, she twisted the cloak around her arm. The kunai was successfully stopped and was now lying harmlessly on the dark folds of her cloak.

The closest civilians, who'd seen what had happened, backed away, looking around nervously. Her team, meanwhile, huddled closer, each person looking in a different direction. But Tenten knew about weapons. She knew how to read the wind, the trajectory and the speed. It was something that had been drilled into her head until she did in an unconscious level. Who had drilled this and when, for the life of her she could not remember! But regardless of that mystery, it promptly became, when she'd realized that no one understood weapons like she did, a sense that she ended up naming her 'steel sense'.

So, standing in the middle of a crowd, Tenten turned towards the general direction of where she knew the kunai had been thrown. And there, on the roof of a building to her right, leaning casually on a jutting chimney, she found a slim man. Finding himself under her gaze, he jumped to the street below and, with little problems –for the crowd was weary and not pushy anymore—he weaved his way towards her. As he approached, she noticed an amused grin parting his lips, his dark eyes twinkling as he locked his gaze with hers.

"My apologies, Silver Dancer," he said bowing shallowly.

His dark brown cloak opened somewhat to reveal an athletic body clad in black clothes. Hanging on his side, she also detected a curved, sheathed blade. Tenten's eyes jumped back to his and she took note of the increase in the man's amusement when she'd flicked her gaze down his form.

"I did not mean you any harm," he confided, his eyes sparing a furtive glance at Sasuke, who was barring his way and had a hand on the hilt of his sword in warning. "My aim is just… not as good as I would like to think, it appears."

Tenten's eyes narrowed. Something didn't feel right. Carefully retrieving the kunai that had been thrown at her, she twirled it expertly between her fingers. Smirking, she threw it –with all her might, which was less than usual since her shoulder still hurt—past the strange, dark-headed man. The man's eyes widened slightly. She knew he was aware that she had not been aiming at him, even when his hand –which he'd quickly removed- had been on the kunai's path.

She heard the thud of the blade hitting something, probably a wall, followed by a grunt and a chain of what she guessed could have been curses. Another man walked out from where he'd been hiding in the shadows, a shallow cut on his cheek. He was taller than the first, wider on the chest and with more muscles on his arms. His hair was likewise dark in color, but whereas the first warrior had long hair gathered in a high ponytail, this one had shorter and messier hair.

As he approached them, his less sun-burned face held a scowling expression and his dark, russet eyes showed indignation and, underneath that, a temper which must have had a short fuse.

The smiling warrior turned towards the bigger man that was making his way towards them, chuckled and said lightheartedly, "Oh, you seemed to have found my friend." His gaze turned to her and he warned, "You also seemed to have made him mad."

Tenten shrugged. "Mad? Whatever would he be mad for?" she said jeeringly, "I was merely returning something of his. Now, me," she pointed at herself for emphasis but grew sober and stern when she continued. "I would be rather angry if someone took something of mine and did not bother to return it. I also," she was threatening him and he knew it, "do not take it lightly when someone uses me for target practice. Particularity someone," her eyes turned to the warrior that was by now standing behind the first one, "who's clearly in dire need of some lessons in weaponry."

The bull of a man growled in response and gave a menacing step forward. But the way was now barred not only by Sasuke, but by Sai and Naruto too, while Lee was still on Tenten's rear.

"What did you say!" the man snarled angrily.

Tenten smirked, "Oh, he's also in clear need of hearing aid, it would seem."

The first man, still smiling, placed a hand on the other man's chest and the bigger man stopped, his anger not quite leaving him though. Tenten suppressed her surprise. She'd though that the second man had rank over the other, since the first one had walked right into a potentially dangerous zone while the other one had remained in hiding. However, there had been power in the silent order given by the slimmer man, and there had been deference in the body language of the bigger one. No. The first one was the one in charge and therefore the one she had to be the most weary about.

"I know we've started on the wrong foot," the slim man said, his eyes back on Tenten, dark orbs still amused, "But perhaps you may allow me to make it up to you in a more… private place?"

Naruto growled and shoved a finger on the man's chest, which tensed the bigger man even if it only further amused his companion, "Not a chance, pervert!"

Tenten blinked and, slowly comprehending how the blonde' mind had so obviously gone down the gutter, she rolled her eyes and pulled him back non-too-gently. Blue eyes questioned her but she just spared him a reproving glare, before refocusing her attention on the grinning male.

"There's a private room in the tavern we're staying at," she said, "I hope that should suffice?"

The man nodded in agreement, "Lead the way."

She took out one of her kunais and, twirling it between her fingers in warning, she added, "This better be worth my time, _crow_."

She'd made up his nickname as she went, adding the right amount of disgust to the last word to let him know she had not decided yet if she liked him or not. She also hoped that, with that, she would prompt him to yield his name.

As expected, the man extended his hand and introduced himself without losing the smile, "Oh, my apologies for my rudeness. Name's Shin. Oshiro Shin."

Tenten nodded curtly but ignored his hand. She saw the bigger man bristling even more, but if Shin was affronted, he hid it well.

"Simmer down and watch your manners, Hiro," he said to his companion, his voice still quite cheerful, "We are not here to make enemies."

Heeding Sai's look of 'caution', she decided to relent from trying to find the men's limits and so, committing their names to memory, she turned around and led the way. Without having to be told, Sai and Sasuke brought in the flank while Lee and Naruto positioned themselves as a human barricade between her and the newcomers. And throughout the short, silent and heavily tensed journey, Tenten smiled inwardly with satisfaction. Because, though they'd yet to state it, she knew she had not failed her mission.

The invitation had finally come.

**To be continued…**


	7. Scales and Scars

**Author's notes: **Well, apologies for how long it took me to finally update. Between lack of time and a bit of a writer's block with this particular chapter, time wasn't my best friend. Anyhow, happy holidays. Hope you all started the new year with a smile on your faces! ~**Enjoy**!

**Revised: **5/21/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers: **Tenten's1, I Can Hear the Sea, TG101, Just Lovely., DarkAnonymous324, stop reading my pen name, anniewanny2, vanelo159, firrelle, RagunaRF _and _EloquentDisaster_._

* * *

"_A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen_._"_

_~Edward de Bono~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 7: "Scales and Scars"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_I did not know what to expect. Or perhaps I did, but I just never expected what happened next. Right after Ryuu met with me, I found that he had not traveled alone. His brother, Yaemon, as well as three others of his Clan had accompanied him in his search for me. More interesting was the fact that I was greeted with relief and genuine smiles. Then something even more unusual happened. When Ryuu told them I was pregnant, they appeared firstly surprised. Then they were confused, before finally turning somewhat happy. Below that I detected, however, some sort of reservation. _

_Worried by that last, I decided to tread carefully with them, else they decide to kill me or -worst!—kill my baby. Soon, I came to realize that their reservation wasn't exactly negative. It was instead actual worry for me and the child. To be honest, it was almost laughable the great lengths these five veteran warriors went through every day to ensure I was as comfortable as I could be while traveling through this unforgiving territory. _

_When we stopped to rest on the fourth day of travel, Ryuu sat beside me once he'd had the fire going. His brother and the rest of his men spread out to work on setting up the camp, hunt and gather the necessary things to cook a meal. Though I could have helped, they had pointedly made it clear by now that I was not to do more than was needed. _

_So here I am. Bored and feeling utterly useless. I'm so tired of the situation, in fact, that I've decided to breach the subject before Ryuu makes himself busy._

"_I'm pregnant, not an invalid, you know?"I point out, prompting him to grin sheepishly back at me. I'm adamant to not be swayed by his charm, so I glare to let him know I'm far from joking. _

_He sighs tiredly and combs his hair with long fingers. "I know that, Saori," he sighs, more profoundly this time. "Just… humor us for a while longer," he adds with more of a plea in his tone than an apology. _

_Damn it, Ryuu! This frustrates me. You and your men frustrate me so much sometimes! And it's more than just their over protectiveness… I…I feel like they're hiding something from me. Something that's scary and important, and… I don't like it! I don't like feeling this blind and lost!_

_Damn it all to hell! How is this friggin' fair? If this –whatever it is- has something to do with me or my child, then aren't I entitled to know? What is it, Ryuu? What could prompt such worry from you and your bodyguards…? And why can't you confide in me this secret when you've already confided all the rest with the ease that has been the core of our trust? _

_Exasperated, I shake my head, fist my hands and allow the stress to wash over my happiness. I open my mouth, prepared to bombard him with my questions but something in his eyes stops me. I sigh, barely keeping from trembling, and decide to at least ask how long I'm expected to keep the pretence that it's not awkward the way they're all treating me. _

_As if sensing this, Ryuu snatches one of my hands and my mind goes completely blank. Not so much by his touch but by the power and love I see swirling in his honey eyes. Gently, he pries my digits open and, without ceremony, slips a plain silver ring into one of my fingers. My eyes widen at the implication and I turn to him, trying to figure out if my mind is playing tricks. _

"_I know it's not much, but that's the best I managed to do for now," he explains. This time there's an apology in his voice, but it dissipates as he moves to make me a promise. "As soon as we get back I'll find a better ring for my wife-to-be."_

_I barely listen to that last, my entire attention resting on the thin band of silver that decorates my hand. "W-where did you get this?" I ask once the haze in my mind has somewhat cleared. I am very aware of the fact that during the past days he rarely left my side. Therefore, I know there is no way he could've been able to purchase it without me knowing. Plus, we hadn't really been to any town since we started the journey back… _

"_I've been working on it for the past couple of days. After you would turn in for the night, I would get to work on perfecting it as best as I could with the materials at my disposal. I ended up melting one of my kunais to get the silver for it," he confides with a shrug, as if the work he'd clearly put into it is nothing. But it isn't. This is everything. This means everything! _

_And yet, though I believe in this to my very core, I cannot say anything. The words that had earned me the trust of all my past victims, fail me this time. So instead, I move closer to him and hug his arm. Contentedly, I rest my head on his shoulder and I note he seems satisfied with my action. In companionable silence, he weaves his fingers with mine and kisses my forehead tenderly… lovingly. _

_Five days after that, we're finally back. We enter town looking ragged, I am sure. I am tired to the bone, but I am likewise nervous. Unconsciously I shuffle closer to Ryuu as we head for the clutter of houses that mark his Clan's territory. The full scale of things crashes upon my mind mercilessly as our feet swallow the distance. So far, Yaemon has taken the news of our engagement with a happy smile and a heartfelt hug to both of us, but would the rest of his Clan feel the same? _

_After all Ryuu isn't just one more member, he is the head of the Clan, their leader! If I have learned anything in concerns to Clans it is this: a leader's life is not his own. Everything he does concerns the rest of the members. As such, marriage is nothing short of a business deal that requires never ending discussions between the most influential members of the Clan. _

"_Don't worry," Ryuu whispers soothingly, reaching out to take my hand. He smiles upon noticing the look of surprise I do not manage to suppress. How is it that he can tell what's on my mind with a mere look in my direction? Have I become that easy to read? Or is it just that he's become extremely skilled in reading me?_

_As we round the final corner my body freezes. Standing just outside the main house, we see the entire Clan! Fifty pair of brown-shade eyes land on me. Though I have had my share of meetings with some of them –and I've even stood before bigger Clans on multiple occasions in the past—I have never felt as intimidated as I do now. Kami, my legs feel like jelly and it is by some miracle, and maybe Ryuu's comforting presence beside me, that I keep from falling. _

"_It'll be fine," Ryuu whispers, squeezing my hand once, before pulling me onwards a little forcefully. _

_Resigned, I gulp and follow. As I near the quiet group, I zero on the woman standing at the front of it, leading them. Her name is Shelia. She is also known as Mama Bear, a woman who, regardless of the fact that her hair is streaked snowy white in more than one place, still commands an aura of awe, respect and strength that keeps everyone in check –including, it would seem, me. _

_And how could she not? She is, after all, not only the strongest woman in the Clan, but she is also Ryuu's mother! Regrettably, even though I've seen her around, I have never spoken to her. To me this particular warrior has always seemed like an aloof and harsh person. Much like me in some ways, I suppose. Today, however, she seems different. _

_As soon as I stop before her, her gaze flickers to my swollen belly and all that harshness melts away in an instant. The unexpected change staggers me, so that I can barely react when she throws her arms around me and pulls me into a tight hug that literally steals the very air from my lungs. _

_After a couple of minutes that for me felt eternal, she pulls away and I see that her brown orbs are glinting with tears that she is struggling to keep at bay. The spell is suddenly broken. Around us, the entire Clan –without exception, or none that I could see— explodes into cheers. Lost in it all, I don't even notice I'm crying until Mama Bear pulls me into her arms again. _

_Without needing much coaxing, she leads me into the main house. I allow myself to be guided in quietly and meekly, though I am not as stupid as to lower my guard entirely. To my surprise, we end up in a big bathroom, which I think has been prepared prior to my arrival because it is filled with steaming water. _

_With a tenderness I have never received in my life before, she strips me naked. I have long since lost any sense of shame towards my body. I had been trained to regard it as nothing more than a tool. And so I do not feel as self-conscious as another would have felt. That is not to say, however, that I do not wonder what the older woman is thinking. But if she finds me unsuited for her son, she hides it well as she helps me bathe. _

_We don't really speak. The kindness she is showing me –a stranger for all she cares!- has humbled me. I cannot help but wonder about my own mother and my cold past. Above all, I wonder if this is how mothers are supposed to be. Strong enough to impart discipline and protect their children, but tender enough to give their hearts and souls shelter when they need to. _

_All thought stop when I feel Shelia's wrinkled and coarse hand land on my belly. I focus on her and I notice that her eyes are closed, her shoulders showing profound relaxation. _

"_I'm sorry," I blurt out stupidly, unsure of what else to say as the awkwardness I've been feeling around Ryuu's people for the past few days resurfaces. Shelia's eyes open and her face splits in a radiant smile that reminds me so much of her son's. _

"_Not yet, child," she says cryptically, slowly retrieving her hand. A look of sadness flashes through her eyes so quickly that, were I not as skilled in reading emotions as I am, I would have probably missed it. "And hopefully you will never be..."_

_I confess that I did not understand her cryptic words, but I did not get the chance to ask her about it either. Everything was so new to me that I soon got lost in the hectic events that followed my return. And so that question that I should have asked, was thoughtlessly and stupidly pushed aside. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **broke the pause before it could stretch and become awkward by getting to her feet. There was nothing else to do or say. The conversation was over, the message understood, the subtle invitation received and promptly accepted with a curt nod.

Turning on her heels with the charm that had given Ai so much praise and so much fame –according to the well planted hearsays, that is—she proceeded in leaving her guests without a backward glance or a word of parting. Ai was tired. If Tenten had understood her alias correctly, she would never sacrifice her selfish needs for the sake of mere politeness.

As she turned the corner, Tenten was glad that Ai was allowed to be such a bitch. Truth was, her body was demanding some rest. Her every muscle had been screaming to stretch from her kneeling position -especially because they were still rather sore after her fight. Damn! Her shoulder was throbbing so much she doubted she would be able to get much rest, if any at all.

It was when she was climbing the stairs that would take her from the noisy tavern into the semi-quietness of her room, that she felt Sasuke's presence invading what she had thought would be her precious 'me' time. He reached her moments later, stopping her on her tracks. He was about to say something but Tenten cut him off by raising an open palm.

"Later," she muttered sternly, massaging the back of her neck to signal her tiredness.

Even so, Sasuke hesitated to comply. A cold glare shot through bloodshot eyes, however, had him relenting with a nod. Satisfied that she'd been spared a discussion which, she had to admit could be rather important, she continued on her way feeling only slightly guilty about her behavior. Perhaps playing Ai so damn well could be counterproductive in the long run…

Shrugging the worry aside for now, she stepped inside her room, slid the thin paper-door close and… groaned. In any other circumstance she would have welcomed the company, but Tenten really didn't feel like discussing what had happened before getting, at least, some sleep!

_Stop complaining! You're the captain!_ A voice that she attributed to a lousy conscience pointed out. Could you really hate your own conscience? Because if that was possible, Tenten would have no qualms about ripping it out of her head and flushing it down a toilet for all she cared.

Still, the voice had a point. She was captain, and rank came with the baggage of turning sleep into a rare privilege. It was now, more than ever, that the kunoichi found herself resenting Tsunade.

"You've been invited, I gathered?" Neji prompted, his voice low, his tone too neutral for comfort.

She turned to face him and sure enough, tension was written all over his body. Tenten didn't need to be a genius to figure out what had caused it. She knew that he'd seen how she'd handled the meeting with the Oshiro Clan's representatives on the street and it was to be expected that, someone who preferred to always tread on the side of carefulness, would have found her methods too risky.

But what else was she supposed to do? Sure, Tenten would have never been as reckless as Ai had been, but that was it! She wasn't supposed to act like Tenten. She was supposed to act like her alias who, being a powerful woman who feared nothing and no one, would be logically more prone to take what even Tenten knew were foolish risks.

As if beckoning her over, Tenten moved to her bed but sat on its edge, fighting the temptation to just crash on its soft surface and succumb to her much sought after rest.

"We'll be meeting with more members of the Oshiro Clan at midday somewhere outside of town. I'm not sure where. I'm supposed to meet with those two guys first and then they'll escort us to the meeting."

"…And what are your thoughts?" he asked after a pause, surprising her by his lack of open criticism.

She leaned on her knees and, massaging her sore shoulder, found herself confiding, "There's something… strange. At first I thought the big man was in charge but it's clear that Shin is the brains. Apparently, he's the heir of the Oshiro clan, which has a hobby of collecting the fiercest weapon masters in the world. Ai impressed him enough to make him come personally, but I'm not sure if that's just him sweet talking or if I should actually feel honored…" Tenten shook her head, stopping herself before she continued second-guessing her thoughts in front of the one person she'd always been careful to only display her strength to.

Neji seemed to think about it for only a second, or maybe he was just making sure that she was finished, before responding, "Maybe he could have spoken with charm but I wouldn't be all that surprised if Ai impressed him as he claims."

That he would say something like this was in and of itself a feat to boast about, considering he wasn't one to give compliments lightly. Overcoming her shock, Tenten smiled at him. Had she not been tired, she would have probably done a little dance to display her approval of his words.

Kami, could she have impressed him as well? It would certainly be a first if she had…

"Are you okay?" he asked with hints of concern.

"Huh?" she tilted her head to the side in confusion.

In answer, his pale eyes simply posed on the hands that were still busy trying to relieve some of the pain that had settled on the sore muscles of her neck and shoulder.

"Oh!" She chuckled, her hands stopping. "Don't worry. I'm fine," she lied nonchalantly, using one hand to rub at her drooping eyes.

"Really…? You look quite tired to me," he pointed out.

She chuckled dryly. "Oh, then never mind. I guess I _do_ look like I feel," she admitted with some amusement, moving the shoulder that had been dislocated in circles and flinching when it cracked. "Kami, that last fighter roughed me up quite a bit. Sheesh! He was one tough monster to beat."

"That's because you underestimated him," Neji scolded, none too pleased.

Tenten couldn't help the smile, she'd known this was coming. Neji would not be him if he allowed something so obvious to slide by. He was hard on her, but she wouldn't want it any other way. And because of it, she couldn't help agreeing with a, "I think I might'ave."

With an unusual sort of smugness, he uncrossed his arms. Tenten quirked an eyebrow in silent query when he cracked his fingers and moved towards her with a purpose. Frozen with curiosity –and something else she wasn't quite ready to examine- she watched him position himself behind her, his powerful legs on each of her sides.

"What are you-"

"Here," he whispered, sending a chill down the length of her spine that soon had her skin coated with goosebumps, "Let me do it."

His hands pushed hers out of the way and, before she knew it, they were working those tensed nerves that had been bothering her with absolute precision. He was showing no mercy and, Kami, did it feel good. In fact, it felt so good that she closed her eyes and barely registered the moan that escaped her lips. She would have thought she'd imagined it were it not for the fact that Neji stopped his torment for a split second before resuming his self-imposed mission. The chuckle that he was unable to stifle, though, caused a blush to appear and swiftly spread from her neck all the way to her cheeks and ears.

But even the embarrassment didn't stop her from enjoying Neji's unexpected gift. Nor did it deter her from leaning back against him and suddenly –she didn't even know when it happened- falling into the embrace of sleep.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** froze with surprise when he felt Tenten's lithe body relax against him. Slowly, so as not to disturb her or break this rare moment of serenity, he brushed her hair out of the way to better peer at her face.

As he'd guessed, she was sleeping peacefully in his arms and he found himself further enthralled by her and her latest actions. It was true that not anyone would have dared to use him as a cushion but strangely, he didn't care that she had. Quite the opposite, he felt… he supposed the word was happy. Yes. He was happy that she would feel comfortable enough to sleep in his arms, more so when other ninja from Konoha were staying nearby -just behind a flimsy shoji door, to be precise.

Neji stayed there, holding her as gently as he was able to without lessening his hold on her, wishing this moment could last longer. Eventually, though, he gathered her in his arms and placed her on the center of the bed, pulling the blankets from below her body and covering her up with them.

Neji loomed over her for a while, studying the picture she presented much like he'd done the night before. It felt wrong that he would be doing this without her knowledge, but he couldn't help it. It was a privilege to be allowed to witness something that… felt sort of sacred and, because of that, forbidden.

_Get a grip,_ he ordered himself sternly, shaking his head in an effort to clear it from the sudden haze that had formed the moment this mission had started. Straightening, he glanced one last time at her slumbering form. Then, brushing the wrinkles off of his attire, he departed for the next room.

Though his mind was made, he walked slowly, part of him waiting and hoping and dreading all at the same time that she'd wake up and ask him to stay. But the request never came, and the part of him that was the most professional was relieved.

Grabbing hold of the door, he slid it open and stepped out just in time to find himself pinned by four pairs of eyes, all displaying different things but none devoid of a hint of a similar curiosity. Lee seemed mostly surprised but Naruto, much to Neji's irritation, chuckled mischievously and started wiggling his eyebrows. Knowing exactly where his mind was without need of words, Neji decided to simply ignore him for the sake of his dwindling sanity. Sai, as was to be expected, stared at him stoically before he tilted his head once he'd noticed Naruto's behavior. Sasuke, for his part, seemed to be waiting for some sort of explanation. Neji decided that he would also ignore him, but this he did for the sake of the Uchiha more than anything.

With an inward sigh, he steeled himself and closed the door behind him, lamenting having to trade spending time with Tenten in order to deal with what he considered a bunch of morons.

"So… you and-," Naruto began, but Neji stopped him short with his signature glare. In response, the blond raised his hands as if in surrender and laughed nervously.

"I just got Tenten's point of view of the situation." Neji hoped that the vague statement would be enough to keep their minds out of the gutter for a while. Moving towards the huddled group, he prepared to debrief them properly, opening the floor with a "so what's your take on the situation so far?"

Given the way things were progressing, Neji knew that they needed to acquire as much information about their targets as possible if they were to succeed in the infiltration. Not to mention that a report to Tsunade was due soon, and so far they had squat to give her save for an account of how the tournament had ended –which he had the nagging sensation was what she was truly waiting for.

Thus, having gotten out of them all that he needed, Neji stood up and slipped out the window before they could start snooping into whatever was going on between him and Tenten. This was not to say that he had run away from them. Not at all! A Hyuga never ran. But that didn't mean that he was not allowed to make a hasty retreat when needed be. And the need had indeed risen. For truth was, he himself wasn't sure what was going on between him and his teammate. Because of that, he was not ready to discuss it with someone yet, not before finding out at least exactly where this… this _thing_ was going first.

Growling at understanding that the anger that was starting to shorten his fuse could only be attributed to an increasing sense of frustration, Neji glided quietly through the night. Being extra careful not to attract any unnecessary attention as he made his way towards the meeting point Shikamaru had established. Hopefully, the mission would soon be over and some semblance of normality would return to his life.

Funny, how the mere thought of it kind of made his heart just a tad bit heavier…

_What the hell is happening to me? _He asked himself as he stepped inside a silent, dark and empty room. Smiling bitterly, he moved towards the window and stared at the twinkling sky. Though he'd always embraced the feeling of normality, it had never really seemed as bad before…

About an hour later Shikamaru, Kiba and Akamaru arrived, mercifully pulling him out of his gloomy and confused thoughts. Figuratively jumping on the distraction they provided, Neji was quick to briefly relay the information he'd gathered and took the opportunity to show them Sai's sketches of the two individuals the group had met with.

Shikamaru seemed to believe that the information was genuine, but decided to still check it out with Konoha's contacts that were currently in town. Though a meeting hadn't been set with any of them since their arrival, Neji understood that the best thing would be to corroborate at least if Tenten's visitors were indeed who they said they were. And so, Shikamaru left to do that while him and Kiba went out to explore the area outside of town. If Tenten was supposed to meet more people from the Clan somewhere, then they needed to find that place, else Ai and her group wound up walking straight into a trap.

**-o0o-**

**~One day later~**

**Hyuga Neji** remained immobile as a small group passed him by. With byakugan activated, he waited until they were a good distance away before sliding out of his hiding space and moving closer. Eventually, he watched with gut-clenching worry as Tenten and the blade team disappeared inside a medium sized house. And how could he not be concerned? After all, neither Kiba nor him had seen this place when they'd scouted the area the day before.

"There must be more people inside than we predicted if they managed to build that thing in just one night," Shikamaru guessed once he'd settled beside him. They were currently hidden behind a thick cluster of bushes.

"Hmph, seems likely," escaped his lips. Fuck. Shikamaru's words only served to increase his unwelcomed worry to the point where all other words failed. "Kiba?" He asked after a while in an attempt to keep his mind from playing worst-case-scenarios in his head.

"I sent him south to do more scouting," he responded, scratching his chin thoughtfully as his eyes scanned the territory surrounding the house. "How many chakra signature have you counted so far?"

Neji counted again for good measure, "Two dozen not counting our people… however, one of them seems… strange."

"Strange?"

"It looks weak but it's more like… like it's sealed or something," Neji elaborated, frustrated by his lack of certainty. To his defense, it was impossible for him to figure it out with the limited information at his disposal.

"A prisoner maybe?" Shikamaru offered and the Hyuga realized that he could be right. After all, if the information they'd been given was correct, this Clan was known for its cruel treatment of traitors. Maybe the chakra signature he'd detected was someone who'd crossed the Clan in the past and had been caught. The thought did nothing to alleviate his worry.

_Damn! I should be with you, Tenten, _he cursed silently, wishing he could somehow turn back the wheels of time.

"Well, as it is, we'll just have to wait and see what happens," Shikamaru concluded, settling more comfortably on the floor by stretching his legs and crossing his ankles. At that moment, Neji couldn't help but envy his ability to stay calm when it was clear they were outnumbered and, perhaps, even outmatched.

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **followed Shin and a grumpy-looking Hiro into a room where a low tea table with cushions all around laid waiting. They were the only piece of furniture in the otherwise spacious room.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. I will let my Uncle know that you've arrived," Shin said politely, turning to leave.

"Your Uncle?" Tenten quirked an eyebrow, slightly put off by the fact that she wouldn't be meeting Ryota, the Clan head yet.

Shin must have detected her disappointment because, turning to her, he bowed shallowly, "My apologies, Ai-sama, I'm afraid that my father cannot leave the Clan unattended, much as I am sure he would have loved to come meet you himself. My Uncle, however, is usually the one who meets those who've caught our interest."

"Your Uncle and not you, then?" Tenten said with an overtly innocent tone. She added a sweet smile for good measure to relay her underlying message. Ai did not like games, least of all when she was the one being played.

"Oh, do not misunderstand my words," Shin corrected professionally, signaling a fuming Hiro to stay put with a single look his way. "When I heard about you I could not help my desire to meet you as soon as possible. Though officially the decision of whether you will be invited to our Clan rests with my Uncle, my word does hold a great deal of power," he took a step closer to her and whispered, for only her to hear, "power enough to overrule my Uncle if the need arises."

Tenten returned his smile and watched him leave with some apprehension. After throwing a final glare at her, Hiro followed his leader, grunting something under his breath. Tenten's eyes became slits as she continued looking at the door that had just closed after them. Shin was more dangerous than she'd originally presumed. It was by some miracle that even after playing with the wild flame that was him, she hadn't burnt her and her entire mission whole, and she knew it.

"Be careful," Sasuke whispered, his tone just as un-approving as Neji's had been the night before.

Because she deserved that, Tenten only nodded in silent agreement before moving towards the table. She quickly but thoroughly scanned her surroundings for any sign of trouble. Upon finding none, she lowered herself on the cushions elegantly, faking a nonchalance she was far from feeling at the moment. No. Her guard was up, her mind spinning like crazy, brushing with the thin line that divided carefulness from paranoia.

It was hard to describe but oh, so easy to feel. It was as if something in the air was electric and didn't feel quite right. But as much as she wanted to leave, she stayed, working hard on appearing the calm person that she ought to be.

Rock Lee must have sensed some of that nervousness because he moved inches closer to her, so that his leg was pressing against hers, providing some comfort –light as it might be—in the otherwise terse situation.

"My Uncle should be here shortly," Shin assured once he'd come back, lowering himself in front of her and smiling his charming smile. "I've ordered some tea. Any preferences, Ai-sama?"

Tenten was about to answer with a dismissive comment when Hiro reappeared pushing someone into the room rather roughly. For a second, Tenten feared the figure in rags was someone from Shikamaru's team, but the fear soon passed when further scrutiny revealed the figure to be older, much older than any member on her team.

Tenten tore her eyes away from the figure, anxious that if she witnessed something overtly cruel, she would be unable to remain passive and unconcerned. Instead, she focused on Shin and, with some interest, managed to see a glimpse of disapproval crossing his dark orbs.

Falling prey to morbid curiosity, Tenten spared a glance at what Hiro was doing when Shin's eyes stayed on him. The ape of a man had apparently kicked the prisoner in the solar plexus and had just finished chaining his neck to a wall. Slowly, the slim figure picked himself up and sat on his legs as thought nothing had happened. Despite his unkempt hair and beard, despite his ragged and dirty appearance, the man still managed to command an aura of respect as he sat there silently, almost as if he was waiting for someone to bow to him and plead absolution.

"Oh, Ai-sama, do forgive Hiro," Shin sighed, leaning back as the tea was brought and served. "He has a tender spot for pets."

"Pets…?" Tenten repeated with deliberately slowness, so that her tone would not betray the anger that was boiling inside her. It was bad enough that Shin had picked up on her lack of comfort.

"He's a traitor," Hiro explained, spitting at the face of the man that had yet to look at her. The man made no move to clean the spit off of his face, nor did he seem to even hear what had been said about him. Angry at being ignored so blatantly, Hiro grabbed him roughly by his chin and tilted his head up. He smiled cruelly at him and said, "What's the matter, dog? Last time I checked we gouge out your eye, not your tongue."

Again, the man neither moved nor said a thing which caused Hiro to slap him across the face, sending his body crashing to the floor with overwhelming force. As the man started to picked himself up again, this time much more slowly than before, Tenten saw that he was not only indeed missing an eye, but one of his hands was made entirely of silver.

"What did he do?" Tenten found herself asking despite knowing that Ai wouldn't really care.

"He got his entire Clan wiped out, blinded by the charms of a spy," Shin responded dismissively. The last word, though, he pronounced with scorn.

"We took his eye out as a lesson," Hiro added with some amusement. "We left the other one so that he would be able to see how his foolishness strengthened our clan."

The traitor shook his head, probably to clear it from the black spots the blow had brought forth. For a split second, his bright honey eye posed on her. Tenten's breath was ripped out of her lungs and her heart stopped. She felt something then, something painful gripping her heart but as soon as the man looked away it was gone.

Tenten shook her head, fighting the urge to frown at the dizziness that was starting to take hold of her. Had someone turned on the heat and closed the windows? It was getting harder to breath and she had no idea why. Feeling a hand closing briefly on one of hers, she looked down at her lap and realized that Lee was squeezing her tightened fist, trying to tell her –with actions alone—that she ought to relax.

Suddenly, her sense of steel spiked and her head jerked up as did her free hand in time to catch the kunai that had been thrown at her.

"Hiro," Shin chided dangerously.

The big man just chuckled lightly and, eyes solely on her, he addressed her, "Traitors make good target practice... Let's see how deep you can plunge that into this dog," he challenged, kicking the man on the side for good measure. "Proud fool, even now he refuses to admit his mistake and bow to his betters!" He kicked the man a second time, but he seemed prepared for it this time, because he barely moved or acknowledged it.

Insulted, Hiro was about to deliver another blow but Tenten had had enough. Without conscious thought she threw the kunai with all her might and shallowly cut Hiro's thigh. The blade ended up embedded on the wall the man was chained to, right above his shoulder. Hiro turned to her with eyes aflame, but Tenten returned the look with fire of her own.

"I find it cowardly to strike a man when he's defenseless," she informed, bringing her tea to her lips in an effort to still appear sufficiently indifferent to avoid turning this into a bigger confrontation. It took great effort to keep her body from trembling with the indignation she was feeling, "A victory is tasteless if the opponent is already down, wouldn't you say?"

"Well said," Shin approved with a smile, breaking the tension.

Hiro seemed about to launch into a heated argument, but the door in the back of the room was thrown opened. A silhouette of a huge figure that easily dwarfed the angry man was consequently revealed.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," the figure said, stepping inside the room and breaking the fight before it had begun. "I'm Oshiro Nobu," he introduced politely and, five steps later the shadows that had draped him in mystery where chased away and Tenten felt her blood rushing out of her face and settling on every single one of her toes.

A lot of things happened all at once inside her, a myriad of sentiments were suddenly set loose to wreck havoc in her sense of reason. Because facing her stood a man that she found unbearably familiar with a face that had starred often in her nightmares. Facing her stood the man with a perpetual grimace carved into his cold face. Facing her stood the purple snake, wrapped around the arm of this man in a tattoo that brought her past rushing back in painful flashes.

Yes. Oshiro Nobu, with one cold, dark look, had unmercifully unleashed the memories of that night she spent in hell…

**To be continued…**

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**AN:** Please don't forget to review. Things are about to finally start falling into place!


	8. Steel the Mind

**Revised:** 5/27/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** DarkAnonymous324, anniewanny2, EloquentDisaster, kenzinator, Just Lovely, _and _I Can Hear the Sea_. _You guys are awesome!

* * *

"_Disillusion is the greatest gift I can give you. But, because of your fondness for illusion you consider the term negative… The word disillusion is literally a 'freeing from illusions'."_

_~Dan Millman (The Peaceful Warrior)~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 8: "Steel the Mind"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_It was painful. The entire journey of thirty nine weeks felt eternally painful. Needless to say, I found out when I was three weeks into my pregnancy, the reason why every member of the Tetsua Clan had been treating me as though I might break at any moment into tiny, irreparable pieces. _

_The baby –my baby was different from other babies. You see, babies born into this Clan need iron in their blood… a lot of it. That wasn't necessarily the bad part, since I just had to eat supplements with iron in them to avoid distressing my child. _

_But ten weeks into my pregnancy, indescribable pains started assaulting my body, scaring the hell out of me. It was then, as I laid shaking under my blankets with my entire body covered in perspiration, that Mama Bear told me that the baby now needed something else to keep it alive, something that could potentially prove fatal for me._

"_Damn it! Just fucking tell me already!" I had raged with grinded teeth, my eyes wide and crazed with pain._

"_It needs melted steel," she had explained solemnly, halting my chain of curses and pushing me into utter confusion. _

_Melted steel. The words rang loud in my head for quite some time. It was baffling that someone would need melted steel, least of all a babe in the stages of forming! Rendered silent, Shelia took the opportunity to explain –as best she could—how the process would work. In simple words, melted steel would be literally injected into me… into the fetus that was my unborn baby. _

_Though my baby's body –thanks to her father's genetics—would be able to accommodate the substance and absorb it without problems, my body was a different story. By injecting it into my baby, some of it would consequently be spilled into me. My metabolism would try to fight it and, if I was lucky, my body would expulse the steel. If I was not lucky… well, I stopped Mama Bear before she could say anything about that. I had not suffered so long to die without seeing this through! _

_Of course, there was always the chance that my husband's genetics had not made it in the right percentage into my baby, which would –and this scared me even more than my own death—mean the death of my child._

_I must confide, however, that during the ordeal, my baby's health wasn't always at the forefront of my mind. I'm ashamed to remember that at some point I wanted it all over. The revelations the Clan made to me when no more choice but the truth was left came as a shell bomb… I did not understand most of it and, truth be told, everything I was told…everything that was done to me… it scared me. _

_Mama Bear, despite my cruel words brought about by the unbearable pain, was the one who helped me the most. She had given birth to five children in total, even if only two of them had survived. When she confided this to me one time, when the pain seemed to push me to the verge of insanity, everything settled into place. _

_I understood then that the reason why the Tetsua Clan was small was not because it was hard to get into it. The Clan was small because it was hard to give birth to what were called "the babies of steel." _

_And so there I was, thirty nine painful weeks later, in bed shockingly pale and weak, wondering how something I've been waiting for had turned out to be so harmful to me; how my dream had been suddenly transformed into a nightmare that seemed to go on and on without end. _

"_Just a few more days, Saori. Hang in there!" Ryuu would whisper fiercely into my ear, holding my hand in between his and kissing my sweaty brow. I wanted to punch him. _

_Kami… I hated my baby. Kami, I did! And I am ashamed that I yelled more than once that I wanted it out. I wanted the pain to stop. But still I clung to my strength, to Ryuu's voice, to Mama Bear's strong arms trying to keep me whole. And then the day came and I pushed and screamed and cried my heart out for what felt an eternity and suddenly… I heard my child and all my pain and all my anger and all my exhaustion left me in a whoosh. My eyes opened and I took in the image of the tiny body trashing around in Shelia's arms. It was a girl! She was crying and I must have been too because my sight blurred so that she became nothing but a beige spot in the otherwise colorless room. _

"_She's beautiful," Mama Bear whispered, her voice trembling with unhidden emotions. I put my arms out and Shelia placed her in my arms. Finally! I was allowed to hold her for the first time outside my body. And Kami, she –you, my baby, were beautiful! You were so small and fragile and so very beautiful. _

_I heard someone sucking in a breath and then Ryuu was there, hugging us both, filling us with the powerful presence that was him. His honey eyes shone brightly with love and pride and a gentleness that rendered even you, my daughter, quiet. _

"_The tenth girl born to the Clan," Mama Bear whispered lovingly, her cheeks tear-streaked as she combed your short, brown hair back._

_Yes. You were a series of tens, my beloved child. It was on the tenth day of the tenth month when I found out I was pregnant. It was on the tenth day when Ryu found me -us and brought us back home. It was on the tenth hour that he slipped the silver band that I refuse to replace into my finger and asked me to be his wife –his family. _

_You were the tenth girl born to the Clan, the first child to survive after ten years of failed births. You were surrounded by tens, and so, when at last they asked what your name would be, I spoke the only name befitting you._

"_Tenten."_

"_Her name is Tenten," your father agreed, kissing us both before straightening up and yelling for all the Clan to hear, "It's a girl. It's Tenten!"_

_And I knew, Tenten, that we would be alright, just as I know now why I keep writing in this journal, despite the fact that I have long since stopped working for Konoha. It is not for the sake of my failed mission, but for you. So that one day, if I ever feel the courage, I might show this to both you and your father… and I might ask for your understanding and, if possible, your forgiveness. _

_But for now… for now, I am happy to be where I am and who I am. I am happy to be a mother instead of a killer, a wife instead of a spy, a woman instead of a tool. And most of all, I am happy to share my life with you. With both of you. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **waited for something to happen. His heart was racing and he didn't particularly know or, at the very least, had a logical reason for it. It was not as if this was his first mission. Nor had he found any hard evidence indicating that the blade team's cover had been blown. And yet, he couldn't help it. The feeling was there, getting stronger and more persistent as the seconds tickled by. Earning a patronizing snort from what he assumed was his conscience, Neji wished not for the first time, that his gut feeling could give him more to work with than a mere –and unbiased, might he add- suspicion.

"It's taking too long," rolled out his tongue before he could stop it. _Fuck, think before you speak! You're not Lee, dimwit!_

Slowly, Shikamaru turned to him with a look of surprise mingled with the right amount of confusion to make Neji kick himself mentally some more. "You do realize that they'd just gone in like twenty or so minutes ago, right?" he pointed out, purposely –some part of him had to be enjoying it!- adding salt to injury.

Upon receiving silence as an answer, he must have decided to let Neji's moment of paranoia slip by as he contentedly went back to doing what he'd been doing for the past ten minutes… relax and, if the snorts were any indication, sleep. Not five minutes later, however, loud shuffling near their hiding spot –very near, in fact!- had both ninjas jumping to their feet with senses sharpened and weapons ready.

"How many?" Shikamaru asked, the gears in his head already working as his fingers tightened around the hilt of his kunai.

With byakugan activated, Neji found and immediately identified the approaching presences. Frowning, he did a double take because there was no way he could be right. But no matter how much he stared –or glared, the chakra signatures remained painfully familiar.

"Neji?"

"What the hell are _they_ doing here…" Neji hissed to no one in particular with barely contained irritation, deactivating his bloodline trait and surrendering himself to the inevitable. The new addition to the situation did not help in quelling the feeling of impotence as things were slowly but surely getting out of his control. Of course, this likewise reinforced the feeling that something was most definitely wrong.

Before Shikamaru could ask anything else, Kiba broke through the foliage with two ninjas on tow. "Yo!" he greeted, his face showing he was just as confused, if not more, than they were. His normally grinning face was, as a result, made solemn by a deep frown. "So, these two asked me to bring them to you A.S.A.P."

"Gai…? Kakashi…?" Shikamaru called slowly, whether as a greeting or a question, nobody was sure. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

"I have one question and it is very important so you both listen carefully…Where is _she_?" Gai's tone was calmed but angry at the same time. When he'd said the last, Neji detected enough hints of distress to make his blood rush to his feet and steal two shades of color from his face. It was in very few occasions, none ever boding well, when he'd seen Gai this solemn.

_Shit…_

"Wait, what? Okay, from the start then… What's going on?" Shikamaru shook his head as if to clear his mind and directed his question at Hatake Kakashi.

To their surprise, even the copy ninja was unnaturally grave, which was saying a lot considering who he was with. Where were the ridiculous challenges being issued that normally accompanied them?

"Just tell us where Tenten is," Kakashi advised, his dark eye scanning their surroundings, his every muscle tensed, as though he expected an explosion to happen at any second.

Fueled by his emotions –which were led by a great amount of foreboding— Neji grabbed Gai by the front of his ridiculous green jumpsuit and asked again, slowly so he would get it right, "What the fuck is going on here?"

Impassive, Gai's eyes met his and Neji fought the urge to shiver under the strength of the look he was receiving. His former sensei, though, must have felt something similar upon looking at his cold, pale eyes because he responded with something that glued everyone in place.

"Listen to me, Neji, we need to get Tenten out. It is _imperative_ that she does NOT meet the Oschiro Clan, do you understand?" Gai warned, placing his hands on Neji's shoulders and digging his digits into the naked patches of flesh that his dark, ANBU uniform did not cover. His distress seemed suddenly much more evident once Neji's face told him what his mouth could not. His vocal cords felt as though someone had tied them together and it took a great deal of effort to keep from falling boneless to his knees.

"Sensei… what is really going on?" he asked, trembling with either anger or the beginning of cold fear, maybe both, he wasn't sure. He oddly felt as though he had stepped out of his body at some point because, for a split second after that first slap of emotions, he felt nothing.

"We need to get her out," Kakashi insisted, looking at Shikamaru as if waiting for him to come up with something to keep the situation from becoming more dangerous than it already was.

"Oh, no… Kami, I'm too late, aren't I? Kami, forgive me! She's –Tenten's in danger…," Gai whispered, his voice shaking, his eyes welling with unshed tears. He seemed to be addressing himself or maybe he was talking to someone who wasn't there; to a recollection if the glazed eyes were any indication.

As soon as he'd processed his words, however, Neji was pulled back into his body. That had done it. Gai had done it. Whatever was keeping Neji from losing the last remnants of his cool snapped and, before anyone knew it, before anyone could stop him, before he could even think about it, he was gone.

There was no carefully laid down plan and this was definitely no time for treading on the careful side, especially if Tenten was indeed in trouble, or maybe, possibly because of it. He'd told her, right? He'd promised her that he would always have her back and he hadn't, he fucking wouldn't, he _couldn't_ lie. He would get her out, and he would wipe out anyone and everyone who stood in his way. No matter the consequence to his person or the mission, nobody was going to harm her for as long as he could draw breath.

Before he could launch himself head first into the fray of Oschiro warriors, Kakashi appeared out of nowhere, barring his path. He look at him with an eye that displayed both disapproval and amusement at the same time.

"You didn't strike me as a reckless man," he commented casually. "Perhaps you've spent too much time in the company of Gai?"

Before the idea of forcefully getting Kakashi out of his way could fully materialize in his mind, the rest of the group arrived to reinforce the barricade that was keeping him from finding and retrieving Tenten. It was good though. For as he stared at them, the fire in his mind died enough to clear the smoke and help him see this was the wrong way to do things. In fact it was a terrible way to deal with the current issue at hand! He needed to get Tenten out without causing a commotion, after all. What use would it be for him to get her forcibly out when that, in and of itself, would most probably end up putting her in even graver danger!

"I have a plan, Hyuga," Shikamaru said quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll get her out."

Neji nodded stoically, not sure how to properly behave after being caught in such a bewildered state. What the hell was his problem! How could he loose his cool so easily? Why did the idea of Tenten being in jeopardy hurt so much when it hadn't before?

With a shake of his head he pushed all those thoughts aside for now and simply said, "Tell me what to do."

**-o0o-**

_She was kneeling inside the cabinet; arms around her legs and back pressed against old, chipped wood. Her breath hitched as she listened to the loud, impending steps outside. Eyes wide, heart drumming, arms trembling with the rush of adrenaline as she waited and waited… Then the door was pulled opened and she lashed out mindlessly, crazed by the decision to fight before fleeing. _

_It was her only chance, the only one and she took it without thinking. Time slowed and she tightened the grip on her kunai as she rushed towards the oak of a man that waited for her, lips parted in a wicked smile. _

**Tenten **blinked, trying to keep her mind afloat as waves of images pushed her, pulled her and twirled her around like a ragdoll. No one existed for a moment that felt eternal, as her mind brought forward a nightmare that, she was about to discover, had not been produced by her unconsciousness, but pushed away by her consciousness.

_She saw his face, harsh and sunburned. His mouth was still opened, and the blade of her kunai had somehow landed on its corner. She screamed and pushed forward with the momentum gathered, throwing her entire weight behind that one attack. It was her only chance! Tenten felt more than saw the sharp blade cutting through the fragile skin of his cheek, carving a smile even more gruesome than the one he'd been wearing. _

Her hand tightened around Lee's, knuckles white as she told herself to breathe, to come out of the past to deal with the present. But the images were cruel and unrelenting and part of her, a big part of her could not let go.

_He stepped back, wailing in pain, his hand coming up to hide his face. Tenten's eyes gravitated towards a purple smudge. Anything to keep away from seeing what she'd done! The man stilled, his shoulders shaking, grunts barely muffled by his hands. She noticed then, in a surreal moment of calm, where time seemed to have frozen, that the smudge was really a tattoo of a serpent. _

_The scaly reptile glared at her, fangs bared in a vicious bite. The serpent seemed to move towards her and she blinked, breaking the spell. With fright and, somehow, morbid fascination, she forced her eyes to look up, to see what she'd done. Rivers of blood dribbled out between his fingers, covering his skin with a crimson mask that had been torn out of hell. _

_The man's body turned in her general direction and, with newfound fear, she moved back only to hit her spine with the cabinet that had been her hiding place. Her sight blurred with pain and something more and she felt fear, cold and unyielding, gripping every fiber of her being. Dark eyes peeped out between his tensed digits. She saw fire swirling in his orbs and, within it, rage. _

Tenten leaned forward. It was unbecoming and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't help the way her lungs felt obstructed or her throat felt so awfully dry. She was sweating. She could feel the beads sluggishly rolling down her temples.

She fought for control, scared for the first time since a long, long time. But more than that, she felt alone… so completely and utterly alone.

"What's wrong with her?" a voice asked stoically. It was _his_ voice. The voice of the serpent. That damn, evil, dastardly serpent!

More vividly the images rushed to the forefront of her mind again, making bile rise to her mouth. She gulped it down with an effort and heard detached voices talking about something, about her… but they were far away. So far away… and she was slipping.

Down and down and…

_Her eyes closed instinctively as his hand stretched towards her. His big, open palm slapped her, the sound resonating inside her head for a minute longer than it should. Her entire body was sent sprawling onto the cold floor, crashing against the surface in disorientation and pain. Every muscle screamed as fire exploded in her skull, making her feel as though she'd landed in the gates of the underworld. _

_Terrified, she laid on the floor for what seemed an eternity, gasping for air as sobs shook her frame. Her fingers tightened on her blade, the only thing that seemed to give her some comfort –small as it might be. His voice rose out of nowhere. Kami! He was so near. So very near! _

_Her bladder failed her and, sprawled before the demon of a man, she peed herself. The smell was awful, the feeling even worse. It was dishonorable, yes, she knew. She should not have done it, part of her chided. But she couldn't help it, she couldn't bring herself to care. Kami! Kami! KAMI! She was going to die! Kami, she was going to die! She didn't want to die! She wanted to run, to leave, to hide! _

_Where was her father? Where was her mother? Where was her uncle? Where was her grandmother? Where was everyone?_

_Where? Where? _

_Where was her powerful Clan? _

"_Why?" she asked between sobs, and then yelled it to him with all her might. She turned on her side to vomit and spat the foul taste out of her mouth. Her tears rolled down and she realized that, hard as she tried, much as she needed, she could not move._

_Help me! Help me! The words were yelled inside her head, but outside it was only his grunts and anger and her helplessness and sobs. _

_The man moved closer and snarled at her a chain of obscenities. Slowly and with deliberate emphasis, he threatened to tear her body apart, limb by limb for what she'd done. And he would have done it, she was sure. Kami, she could already feel the pain! _

"_No! Please, no!" She wailed, trying to crawl away with little success, "Dad! Mom!" _

_But no one came, no one listened. No. He listened. The Serpent listened and laughed and sneered at her. Appalled and defeated, Tenten closed her eyes tightly, wishing for it all to go away. Go away! Just, please, please, please, go away!_

_Then suddenly, as she felt his breath upon her, there was a loud sound and then the voice of someone. Someone she knew. Someone she'd called for. Someone she'd waited for._

"_Get the fuck away from my daughter, you bastard!" her mom yelled, anger twisting her face, and, with short sword on hand, she singlehandedly pushed the man, the monster away. _

"Fetch some water!" Shin yelled at a nearby servant, his eyes questioning her in silence. Tenten tried to focus. She tried to regain her bearings, but she could not. Kami, she felt tired and insecure and… scared and angry. And there was fire in her skull, a headache threatening to make her groan with the pain that was becoming annoying and, later, she knew, would become unbearable.

Kami! This man… this man! He… he was the _one_! He…

_Don't think about it!_ She ordered herself, shaking her head out of all the thoughts, fighting for control of her emotions, wishing to lock them all up inside her heart before they killed them all.

"Ai-sama," Sasuke called, his arms on her shoulders, his dark gaze filled with worry but also urging caution and seeking understanding.

Tenten shut her eyes. The light that had been soft when she'd arrived now glared at her. It made her head thump with pain that left nausea on its wake. Instinctively, she brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. _Calm down, calm down! Kami, this headache! Just go away! Come on, stupid Tenten, you just have to calm down! Stop thinking! Just sto—_

"_Never stop thinking, Tenten. Never! Your mind is your strongest asset! Always remember! Promise me!" _her breath caught on her throat as, mid sentence, the voice imparting that advice had changed. Had it been Gai the one who'd spoken or someone else? Someone… someone that was dear to her as well, but in a very different way. Was it truly him? No, no it couldn't be!

_Okay, think of something else. Think of something soothing. Think! Think! _She yelled at herself, closing her eyes again and willing something, anything to come forward.

_The sky was clear and blue and infinite. The sun bathed her as she stood in the middle of a plain field of rock. Ahead, almost two hundred paces away, stood her target. It was a small can, barely visible but for the glint on its aluminum surface. _

_She closed one eye and aimed. Then she took in a breath, held it and waited between heartbeats. Thump… Thump… and she threw the silver needle… thump… She was still holding her breath as the senbon sore in a blur toward its destination. There was no noise and then… tling! The can fell, the senbon having pierced it and pushed it down from its pedestal! _

_A short pause ensured before it was broken. They were cheering, all of them where. She turned to find the crowd of happy spectators. At the front was a woman with hair of snow coving an ashen field, she was smiling, her face creasing more with happiness than with age. Tenten's lips broke into a wide grin and, before she could run towards the old woman, someone grabbed her and threw her to the sky. She laughed as strong arms caught her. She looked up to see a man smiling, hazel eyes bright and big. _

"_Stop it, daddy!" she scolded, remembering that this was an important test where jests had no room to exist._

"_Well done, Tenten!" he complimented, his chest swollen with pride and happiness. _

"_Okay, put me down!" _

_He did as told, putting her down and kneeling before her, his eyes intent only on her._

"_Now, give it to me! I've earned it!" she faked nonchalance at her skill and ordered with arrogance, trying not to giggle at the mock seriousness her dad was displaying._

"_Of course, princess. Your words are my command," he said solemnly, bowing to her. Then taking out a kunai from within his sleeve, he twirled it expertly between his fingers before presenting her the hilt, "Here, you've earned it fair and square. With my authority, I, Ryuu, head of the Tetsua Clan, bestow upon you the new title: champion of silver."_

_There were more cheers, but the one that she heard the most was her father's…_

She snapped out of the memory, tears welling in her eyes. She was lying down, for some reason, her team all huddle protectively around her.

"Ai-sama, are you okay?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes filled with unbound concern. Sai and Sasuke, meanwhile, had their eyes trained on the enemy, pinning them to their places and keeping them from further approaching.

"The tea…?" Lee said in a whisper, looking at the porcelain cup with distrust, insinuating to the blond that perhaps that had something to do with her current state.

Tenten shook her head a little, her brain feeling swollen and out of place. She blinked in an attempt to bring the pain under control and tried to speak, but her throat was dry and her mind was latched onto that last image. Those bright eyes. Those hazel orbs so full of pride.

Kami… it couldn't be. This had to be her imagination, right? It couldn't be her past! It wasn't possible! What was it then? A dream? A nightmare? Could it truly be a mere trick of the mind? Her imagination reaching and breaching the limits she'd thought it had?

_It has to be_, part of her yelled. Confused by the images that seemed to detail things she'd never known, she'd never recalled, that the other part of her insisted had never even existed. Because in that one flash she was old, older than she'd been when her dad had passed away! So how could this be real?

No. It couldn't be. It couldn't be! It didn't make sense! It didn't make any damn sense!

Her father had died. He'd died way before. He'd been killed in an S-Rank mission when she was five. It was a mission gone wrong and he'd stayed behind to cover the retreat of his men. It had been Gai-sensei himself, all dressed in black and with face solemn, who'd given them the news, standing outside their house. Just like he'd stood when he'd told her her mother had died seven years later.

It was true! She remembered! She remembered the funeral and all. She was there and it was raining and it was cold and she was lonely. She remembered the grey ceiling of clouds and the thunder. Kami, she remembered how it seemed to echo inside her, like a screech in her skull, claws tearing at her soul.

Yes, it was raining.

_It was raining; a downpour would have been a more precise word to describe it. It was hard and steady, soaking everyone to the bone within the first few seconds of standing below it. The sky was grey and harsh and thundering to a symphony of a howling, lonely wind. A crowd was gathered. Tenten didn't know them all at the time, though she knew them now. They were younger but still they were the familiar faces of those she now had the honor of considering her friends. Faces that she didn't knew well but which she cherished now. All present to give farewell to a man who'd given his life for their village. For Konoha. _

"_He was a hero," someone whispered to her and she nodded dumbly, not turning around to acknowledge the compliment; not understanding it fully at the time… not caring for it. She wanted him back. She didn't want a hero in her life, she wanted her dad…_

_Tenten stood at the front, holding onto the hand of her mom. The grey eyes of her beautiful mother were lost behind closed lids and Tenten tried in vain to hold on to her strength, to reign in the tears that still rolled down her blushed cheeks. _

_She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. But sobs kept parting them against her wishes. _

_Fuck! She didn't want a hero! She didn't care for a fucking hero! She wanted a father! She wanted her father! She wanted him back, here and now and very much alive! _

_But, even though she wished it with all her might, her father still laid inside the simple coffin in front of her. Eyes closed and expression so relaxed, she wanted to shake him and yell that he should wake up. Wake up, this instant, wake up! But he didn't. He stayed the same way. Very much dead. Dead and silent. _

_Then someone started talking, saying something, but all she could listen to was the wind and the rain and the thunder that seemed to share her pain, to wail with the same intensity as her soul. _

_The image cracked and replacing it was the forest she'd dreamed with. It was on fire, the sky painted orange and yellow and there was that screech again. It was raining too… but that was it. Nothing was the same except the rain and the pain… _

A forest? _The_ forest?

She blinked then closed her eyes and hid her face from them with trembling hands. Why? Why did that last image, that which she'd always brushed aside as a dream, why did it seem more real? Why did it _felt_ more real?

Why?

Kami, what to believe? Her consciousness or her unconsciousness? Should she believe the fragmented pieces that were flashing before her eyes, making her tremble with something akin to disbelief mingled with almost overwhelming confusion?

_I'm going to drown if I keep moving down this road. I'm going to drown! I need to get out! Kami, my brain's on fire. I'm on fire. I'm being consumed! I'm going to burn!_

"Ai-sama, please! What's going on? Please talk to us. Did they do something to you?" Lee asked, his voice trembling with worry and, below that, the beginnings of rage.

"You! What was in that cup!" Sasuke yelled, pointing at Shin while his hand came to rest on his half-unsheathed sword. "Answer me! What did you do to her?"

Tenten tried to push every question to the back of her mind alongside the pain, but it was hard. She was afraid. Afraid that if she pushed it away, it would go away. That if she brushed it aside, as she'd always done, that she would lose what she'd gained, what she'd discovered.

Her sense of steel suddenly spiked, bringing her out of her tumultuous thoughts. It forced her to make the decision to let go, to let everything that was keeping her from the here and the now go. Her hand automatically snapped up in time to catch the kunai by the hilt.

There was silence, the tension created between the groups replaced by the surprise move of the traitor. Her eyes locked with his one bright, hazel eye. Everything stopped. There was no movement and no words. And yet, she heard him. It was an unvoiced order that felt familiar.

Go. Escape. Leave this instance!

She realized that, as she gripped the kunai, her headache seemed to lessen, to recede enough to allow her some clearance of thought.

Then, destroying the sudden standstill, Hiro moved towards the man with a purpose and kicked his side with brutal roughness. Tenten would have dropped on the man in a blink if not for that order, that order she could not disobey. But she couldn't just leave either. She couldn't just leave him like that. She had to do something.

Whoever he was –though part of her, which she was not ready to examine yet, yelled that she knew exactly who he was—truth remained that he was important!

_Think! Think! Use your fucking mind and think of a way out!_

A sudden idea popped into her mind. It was crazy and stupid and reckless. But Ai was reckless and so, without a moment to wait, taking advantage of the confusion that they'd all been prey of, she moaned. Loudly.

Then, when she was sure every eye rested on her, she groaned and moaned some more. She twisted on the ground and stretched languidly, eyes glazed, lips parted, breaths coming in shallow pants. Tenten felt herself blushing, but this time she did not cursed the colored cheeks, since she was sure they helped in the idea she was trying to convey.

For the first time in her life, Tenten was glad that Ino had taught her –for some unknown reason- how to fake an orgasm. Because right now, in front of this powerful group of now uncomfortably excited males, Ai was having one and putting on –if their blushed cheeks were any indication- quite a show to achieve it.

Then, just as quickly as it began, it ended. Unable to stop herself she laughed. It started with a chuckle but ended with her bending over, holding her stomach as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. The chuckle was faked, the laughter that followed, though, was genuine. Then, running along with her strategy, she made the effort to sober up immediately and pulled herself up as though nothing had happened.

"Oh, I apologize," she said at length, leaning forward on the low table languidly, allowing them an unobstructed view to her cleavage. "Scars…," she looked at Nobu, pouring as much desire as she could fake into her eyes. She caressed her own hot cheek with the tip of the kunai, drawing a slightly red path that mimicked his scar exactly. Kami, she wanted to use the kunai to finish off what she'd started, to cut his face in half!

She quelled the sentiment before it could spread and locked it away. Feeling her lips dry, her tongue darted out to wet them and she noticed, with amusement, that everyone followed its path across the lips her teeth had swollen with their raking.

"They just," she continued breathlessly, shivering once and chuckling, "they excite me so very much. I just… lose control sometimes."

"Oh. It's alright. It is what it is. It was quite evident that it could not be helped," Nobu permitted, his eyes filled with desire, his ego swollen by her heated words. And she knew that the strange incident, put under a different light, had increased their interest rather than their suspicion.

Just then, as she was struggling to adapt to whatever changes she'd brought, to the surprise of all and the silent relief of Tenten, a messenger came to the door. After being let in, he bowed to those present and delivered some unusual news.

"A man has come seeking Saito Ai," he said, his eyes intent on his master even when it was clear the message was meant for her. "He asked to be allowed to see her immediately. Said he was her… _shadow_."

Knowing that it had to be a member of her shield team, Tenten took the lead before Nobu could decide on what to do. She knew it was risky, but if someone else had been sent in, then it meant that something had happened. Perhaps they'd been compromised? Perhaps she hadn't fooled them as she'd thought?

"If it is one of my men, then sent him in this instance," She ordered with authority, then turning to Shin and Nobu, she added, "Unless you would deny me the courtesy?"

"What would happen if the latter was the case?" Nobu's voice was polite but curios. She did not think he was antagonizing her any more than he was flirting, and that calmed some of her internal turmoil.

Careful to keep all that the man woke in her tightly locked until she was safely away from him, and relieved that the pain of her head had descended into annoying but controllable levels, she twirled the kunai she'd yet to let go off between her fingers and smiled sweetly at him. Her brown, half-lidded eyes, however, she kept draped under a layer of ice.

"Then I would leave, of course. I did not get where I am by ignoring the business I have elsewhere, Oshira Nobu." Then lightening her tone and pouring mischief into her eyes, she added, "and whoever heard of a shadow being away from its master, neh?"

"Of course, Saito Ai," Shin interceded charmingly, a thing that did not sit all that well with his uncle, Tenten was glad to note. Turning to the messenger, he ordered that the man be let in and Oshiro Nobu allowed it.

Inwardly Tenten smiled. Yes! Not all was lost! She'd found a chip in their armor and, maybe _more_ than that… Her eyes spared a quick glance at the traitor that was sitting on the floor, unconcerned as he gazed at the far wall. She felt again a tug in her heart. Kami, could he be? His eye locked with hers for a split second and she felt that familiarity… that loyalty... that _something_ resurging.

_Kami! Can it really be you? Is it really you? But how, how? _

She forced her eyes away, else she would incite more blows to be delivered to the man, and pose them instead on the door which, as if on cue, slid open. Her eyes widened for a second and she felt her heart drum a tad bit faster. But she kept calm, her emotions carefully concealed, as her body froze in place when the figure of her shadow began his slow approach.

Wearing black, baggy pants and a tight, black wife beater, he moved towards her with careful steps. No weapon visible, not even his eyes, which were his biggest weapon. No. They were hidden behind white bandages that made it look as though the man, her shadow, her Hyuga Neji, was blind.

"Ai-sama," he whispered in that baritone of silk, kneeling in front of her and, smoothly, taking her hand and kissing the heel of her palm softly, affectionately, yearningly. His acting was so intense that, for a moment, he'd convinced her that he truly felt that way.

But of course it was a lie. Everything was a lie!

With an effort, she kept the bitterness that suddenly rose with that thought, out of her face, but not, sadly, out of her heart. Instead she locked it inside, with all her other tormenting thoughts and lies and secrets.

"My shadow," she greeted, glad that her voice hadn't come out as breathless as part of her still felt nor as sadden as her other part felt. Then, in a whim, she brought her hands up to caress the bandages around his eyes. Next, not particularly thinking straight under all her stress and her need of comfort, she pulled his face towards her and she kissed him chastely but softly –and even, maybe, passionately- on the lips.

It was a trick of the imagination, she knew, but it was still a beautiful lie to think that the yearning she felt emanating from him was not an act. After a short while, she reluctantly broke apart, teeth pulling seductively at his lower lip. As she stared at his handsome, half-covered features, Tenten was acutely aware that this kiss she'd done more for her sake, than Ai's.

To cover up whatever sentiment might arise from the exchange that should have meant nothing, but which meant so much more, she asked in a whisper, "Tell me, now… What news do you bring?"

**To be continued…**

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**AN: **This was a hard chapter because at some point even I got a bit confused as I was writing it. As you saw, there was a lot going on and it was hard to keep the writing from becoming overly complicated but still flowing coherently and, most importantly, in a believable way for the characters.

Anyhow, more answers are given and more mysteries are unraveled. Please do not forget to review and let me know what you think!


	9. Stirring Shadows

**Author's notes: **I'll keep this short and sweet, thank you all for your reviews and encouragement. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I'm on break so I'll actually try to finish writing this story before the start of next semester. Expect more regular updates, I'll do my best! ~**Enjoy**!

**Revised:** 5/27/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** anniewanny2, DarkAnonymous324, kenzinator, Mirabar, I Can Hear the Sea, Justlovely, Dellanotte, RagunaRF, Crestfallenfeline_, _EloquentDisaster, and blank name.

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"_Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were."_

_Marcel Proust ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 9: "Stirring Shadows"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_We had a fight, our first one. I went to bed feeling angry and ashamed at my outburst when he'd told me he's been ordered to the front lines. As I lay here numb and unable to sleep, I close my eyes tightly, trying to forget the once upon a time I had been a shinobi too. A shinobi of Konoha, in fact! The irony doesn't elude me… _

_This war… it's so stupid, so selfish! Why must my life continue to revolve around it? Kami, can I not escape it? Am I bound to stay in limbo? Is my loyalty to be finally tested with this new problem at hand?_

_For crying out loud, the Tetsua Clan is small enough without forcing its members to throw away their lives for a lost cause! And why, oh why the hell did he HAD to prove his valor to who knows who and volunteer! That stupid, insolent, fool of a man! Damn him and his pride! Why couldn't his brother go in his place, as the younger lad had asked! Why does it have to be him?_

_The bitterness of my silent tantrum makes me squeeze out a couple of tears that I am fast to brush aside. I do not want him to try and offer comfort when I am this mad, for I know that his heart is weak and despite the hurt I'd probably caused him he'll do it. And… I can't! I can't deal with the extra guilt right now. The truth is, I do not want to forgive him! He is abandoning me, abandoning his tiny daughter, abandoning his loving family! And all for what? For glory? For pride? For the arrogance of boasting how many Konohans he'll fell?_

_I feel the mattress shifting with his weight. I close my eyes and force myself sternly to stay very still. I count slowly in my head, controlling the way I'm breathing so as to give the impression that I'm already asleep. I can feel his form hovering just above me. His warm breath crashes against the right side of my face as he peers at me, perhaps trying to determine if I'm really asleep. But still I do not acknowledge him. _

_With painfully gentle fingers, he combs my hair, pushing bangs out of my face. With his path unobstructed, he caresses my cheek –the path my tears had left- with the tip of one finger. I hear him heave a long, heavy sigh that conveys either his regret or his tiredness, I do not know, maybe both, before he pushes away to lie on his back. _

_I open my eyes slightly, feeling them tear up against my commands. He has broken my heart first with his decision and now again with his tenderness. The idiot. He's a damn, arrogant fool, that's what he is! _

_I keep my back to him, angry at the fact that though I think ill of him, my heart yearns to turn around and press against his side. My pride, however, is stronger still and forces me to push that aside. And the fool that I am, I do. I push it aside and ignore him, even when I know that my childish behavior will not change his mind about what's to come, about what he must do._

_Curse his duty and his pride. _

_And curse mine as well! _

_In silence, doing my very best to move only the tiniest bit, if at all, I cry. I can't help it. I can't fight it. The tears come unbidden and I can do nothing but let them flow. In seconds, as though attracted by my sadness, his strong arms come around me. He pushes me to him, my back firmly against his chest. I can feel the beating of his heart, idly noticing that it is as rapid as my own._

_I realize then with blinding clarity that Ryuu is just as sad as I. He suffers in silence, and I know that just as he has broken my heart I must have broken his with my disapproval. Though I do not turn to see him, I know he's crying too. His chest moves in spasms, testament to his silent sobs. In accordance, I soon feel his tears on the back of my neck, where he's buried his face. _

"_I don't want you to go," I confide again, gripping his arms, nails digging into his skin and drawing blood. "I don't want you to go." My voice breaks and I'm unable to add that I am sorry for how I reacted, that I am sorry that I yelled, that I am sorry I did not -cannot support him. _

"_I know… Saori, I'll come back. I will come back to you, no matter what," he promises, kissing my temple, turning me so that I have to look at him. I take in the beautiful sight of his glazed, bright eyes, his handsome face, his strong jaw… soft lips. _

_I kiss him hard, allowing raw passion to hide away my pain; to hide away the fact that his oaths have done nothing to alleviate my sorrow. He kisses me back urgently and I cry even harder because I know what war is. I've tasted it. I've been in the middle of it and it was by pure luck that I've survived it. I fear for him. I fear I might lose him. I fear that he will not come back, just like I failed to go back to my people. _

_We make love. It's not tender like our caresses before, when we didn't know where we stood. It's heated and fast and animalistic in its rhythm. It's wanting to get as much out of the other and bring it into ourselves. It's a love that is possessive and brutal, meant to forget instead of bringing comfort. Yes, it is an act to forget the pain that will come from being separated for who knows how long, maybe a year, maybe forever. _

_Depleted after what feels like hours, I settle beside him, my head resting on his shoulder, my breaths coming in short pants. And though I feel completely exhausted, I still manage to cry myself to sleep. The last thing I feel are Ryuu's strong arms holding me, keeping me from breaking… and my last foolish thought is that maybe he would stay. That last hope puts me under the spell of a troubled, dreamless slumber. _

_When at last I wake, I do so to an empty bed. In increasing despair, I hide my face behind shaking hands as a wave of sorrow rises inside me once again, this time threatening to drown me altogether. _

_How could he! How could he just leave me like this?_

_I feel like the world is collapsing around me. Seeking comfort, I venture into the room right besides mine, hoping that my five-month-old daughter is awake. To my shock, she's not in her crib. I feel my blood rush out of my face and, trembling, I make my way out the house on uncertain legs. _

_Just as I'm about to scream for help, thinking someone had stolen my baby, I see her. She is in the arms of a man who's sitting in the rocking chair I'd placed in the porch not two months ago. My heart flutters and I move towards the two of them with a sprint, happy tears streaming down my face. _

_I stop. _

_My heart breaks anew and I feel like I've aged a thousand years. "Yaemon," I greet in a whisper, unable to hide my disappointment. _

_Thankfully, he doesn't take offence. Instead, he offers a smile that mirrors my own in its sadness. "I am sorry, Saori," he apologizes, still holding my Tenten to him, her head on his shoulder, her tiny body pressed to his chest. "I did not mean to give you false hopes."_

_I shake my head and settle –more like slip boneless, into a chair nearby. I concentrate on the humid weather, anything that would keep me from breaking down in sobs in a pathetic display of weakness. My eyes move towards his long form on their own accord. I can't help watching how he holds my daughter, noticing how gentle he is with her. He reminds me of Ryuu so much that I feel my eyes stinging with tears again. I am pathetic. A mess, really, but he does not judge, and I thank him for that. _

"_Here, I apologize also for the fright of not finding her in her crib," he adds as he makes to stand to offer me my baby, but I stop him by placing a hand on his arm. Truthfully, he seems to need her touch more than I do, and I've not the heart to take that bit of comfort away. Not yet, anyways. His eyes thank me and that is enough for now. _

"_You saw him leave?" I ask, as he settles back and resumes tracing invisible circles in my baby's back. She's in a deep sleep and looks quite comfortable to me. I envy her the ignorance that allows her not to feel the pain of being abandoned… _

_I chide myself, telling that ruthless part of me that Ryuu did not wish to leave anymore than I wanted to be apart from him. And yet that persistent voice reminds me that I had a choice as well to go back into the fight, to finish my mission, to do my duty… and I discarded it for him. _

_I stayed and he left and that is what hurts the most… _

_Yaemon sighs heavily and the sound snaps me off my dark thoughts. He nods and says, "Yes, I came here and found him sitting in this chair with Ten." He pauses, unsure, and I don't rush him. After a while, he continues, "We talked," he shakes his head and corrects himself, "We had 'the' talk again. I asked him to let me go in his stead. Hell, Saori! I begged him to let me do it!" _

_I can see the sincerity in his eyes as he turns to me and stares. His eyes are as bright as Ryuu's. It's painful to look at him, but I do. I open my mouth to say something, to reassure him that I believe him, that it's alright. I found myself unable to speak a word. So instead, careful to keep my real feelings concealed, I nod weakly. _

_The young Testua sighs, his expression pained probably by my lack of empathy, "Of course, he said no." He resumes his rocking of the chair when Tenten squirms in his arms and grumbles something unintelligently. Soon she's back in dreamland, "He gave me a reason this time, though…"_

_The vagueness of his last statement piques my interest. I figure that if he didn't want me to intrude he would not have even mentioned it, so I ask what the reason was. He seems hesitant for a second, before he finally complies. _

"_He said that he has a reason to come back because he has you and this little one…," he pats Tenten's back tenderly, "He said that if I left in his place, I would act recklessly and stupidly, for my reason for coming back –the biggest one—died two years ago." _

_I feel his sadness as though it is my own. His wife had died giving birth. The child had been born dead as well, his body hadn't even finished forming. Yaemon had been devastated and, as he hugged Tenten, I knew that he was thinking of his dead baby. It made my heart ache for him, forgetting my own pain for once. Again, I was glad I'd let him hold her some more. And I find myself also thankful that I've left most of my dark, angry thoughts locked inside my head. _

_There is a long pause where, maybe because of his confession, I manage to make some kind of peace with the fact that Ryuu has left. Even though it's soon, I feel some of the despair that had been threatening to drown me, leave, so that my head is still breaking the surface of the murky waters that is depression. _

"_Would you visit, Yameon?" I ask, feeling the need to comfort him by offering the only thing I know would take some of his ache away. I'm offering him the chance to spend time with his brother's daughter, to maybe treat her as his own? Kami knows that with Ryuu gone, I will be needing help in keeping my daughter occupied… _

_Yaemon turns to me and his eyes convey so many things that I almost blush at how thankful he looks. It is such a small thing, but his eyes let me know that for him it means the world. _

"_It will be my honor to help you with her," he says after a while, perhaps thinking I had not understood his silent answer. I smile at him and thank him and then we slip back into that silence that has slowly, but surely, somewhere along the line, move from awkward to comfortable. _

_As I stare at the starless night, I cannot help but thank Kami for Tenten, for I know she will be the only thing that would keep us sane in the days to come. For tonight, she alone is both our medicine and our treasure. My only hope, however, is that one day she will get to know her father too…_

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji's **long legs swallow the distance to her. The seconds it took him to reach her felt eternal due in big part to the fears Maito Gai's presence had inspired. Thanks to his byakugan, Neji was able to notice right away something odd in the texture of Tenten's chakra. Instead of flowing swiftly from one point to the other, it seemed disturbed by something that –given how the flow of her energy twisted and balled near her heart—had to do with her emotions.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that the turmoil she was under was slowly but surely exhausting her. The bright color of her energy seemed to be dimming by the second. It troubled him greatly to see this. Whatever had produced such an unwelcome change in her, had him breaking a sweat and inwardly cursing this mission and its unforeseeable consequences.

As soon as he was inches away from her, he fell to a knee, wishing nothing more than to hug her tight to him. But of course, he didn't. It would be unseemly for one of Ai's underlings to take such freedom with her person. It didn't matter that the new eventualities had already forced them to abort the mission, pretences had to be kept if they were to make it out intact.

Allowing his instincts to guide him –he snorted inwardly at that. It was foolish of him to think he hadn't lost control, and he knew it- he took her hand in his. He did it mostly because a big, powerful part of him wished to provide her with as much comfort and support as the situation allowed.

Her palm was rough against his, a thing that shouldn't have come as a surprise, for he'd held it before, but which did. He just couldn't help the feeling of rediscovery upon touching her. Her hands were, he believed, an unvoiced testament of her skill and unrelenting will to surpass the limits imposed upon her by the minds of others. He was glad she had never given them much thought.

Before Neji knew what happened, before he could think about it or stop himself, he kissed a rough patch on the heel of her palm. The smell of her soap and the taste of her skin lingered on his lips for far longer than they should, awakening in him a sudden, almost overwhelming thirst for her. Neji had never done anything with as much tenderness as he'd displayed with that one kiss. He'd tried deluding himself into thinking it was perfectly innocent, but it felt anything but. It baffled him and ignited in him, all at the same time, an intense longing that he was having trouble keeping at bay as the touch continued.

Kami! He wanted more than ever to hold her in his arms. He wanted to whisper soothingly that he would get her out. He wanted to reassure her that he would keep any and every harm from ever touching her… even if it turned out to be a lie. For it was presumptuous of him to believe that, even if he'd promised her the moon and the stars, she would readily accept them.

He felt her pulling away only to soon feel her hands on his face, tracing the bandages he'd placed around his head to hide his blood trait. If his eyes had been opened, he would have closed them with the pleasure her digits were instigating. The pads of her fingers, despite their coarseness, were ruthless in their caresses, making him groan inwardly with the agony of being unable to reciprocate the touch.

Then, as if things could not get any better, he felt her lips touch his with a hunger that he wasn't sure anymore if it came from him or her or both. It took all his will power to keep still and not return her ministrations. Instead, he stayed perfectly open to whatever else she had in mind, trying to follower wherever she might lead, happy to jump off a cliff if she'd commanded. Unfortunately, her lead ended with a tug at his lower lip that left him breathlessly frustrated at wanting more of something that was slipping, little by little, out of his reach.

For the first time in his life, he silently lamented the limitations of his blood trait as he was left to wonder what her eyes were conveying to everyone but him. He wondered if in her eyes glinted even a hint of the passion, the yearning she'd unleashed. He wondered if her cheeks were as flushed as his certainly felt. He wondered if she felt her limbs trembling with the excitement that was eating away at his stomach, making his blood rush faster through his veins, making him ache to cover her lips with his own just one more time, for just one more second.

It was absolute bliss followed by unbearable agony.

"Tell me, now…," he fought not to shudder as her whisper caressed more than just his skin, "What news do you bring?" Her low, husky tone sent an electric wave down his spine to tingle all the way to his toes. How she'd managed to keep hidden this side of her for so long, Neji didn't know.

It took him a while to recuperate from the spell she'd weave around him. His throat was dry, his mind was spinning, his tongue was uncooperative as he tried to formulate an answer that would give her a hint of the true reason that had brought him here. He was a man of few words, but they'd never failed him like they did now, in one of the moments when he had need of them the most.

"The beast," he gulped when his voice came out hoarse, and started again, "The beast has struck the compound again. It came with lightning and it still prowls nearby, waiting for you, Ai-sama."

He didn't know if she'd gotten the entire meaning he attempted to convey, but Tenten was quite resourceful. When it came down to it, from all the people he'd worked with, she was the only one that could adapt to any situation with an ease he envied. She could come up with a solution as she went, like an actress who'd made her fame out of her improvisation skills.

"Then we best not keep him waiting," she concluded after a short pause, a smile in her voice that had surely provoked her lips to curl into a confident smirk that bordered on arrogant. "I apologize for the inconvenience," she continued, addressing the men that had been silently listening to their exchange from across the table. "It seems other business calls me elsewhere and I dare not miss this particular appointment."

"That business more important than this?" A man who was as big as Hiro asked. Neji had no idea who he was, but his comment was a reprove emphasized by cold anger.

"I did not get to where I am by ignoring things that concern me," Tenten replied with a tone that matched his in frigidity.

"Can I be as bold as to ask what this is about? Perhaps we could be of some assistance, so that you wouldn't have to leave just yet and miss the… _opportunity_ our Clan is offering," Shin ventured, his voice so polite that it made Neji more suspicious as to his real intentions.

"Unnecessary," Tenten said with less hostility, waving away his concern. "I do not employ other people to fight my battles and," she introduced a cruel edge to her voice that had even him sweating, "this is a score I am intent on settling with my own hands."

"If you've got no other choice than to leave, then perhaps we could arrange another meeting?" Shin suggested not only to Tenten but, it seemed, to the angry man sitting beside him as well.

"If you are willing, so am I," Ai relented with a nod, the hint of exhaustion barely evident, but Neji caught it. He hoped only he did.

"You have a month. We'll be waiting in this spot," the big man permitted. "If you are not here before noon," he leaned forward and whispered to her with a growl, "then you would surely have lost the opportunity of a lifetime."

Neji did not like what the heat in the tone had implied, but staying true to his role, he stayed put, waiting for Tenten to give the order to move out.

Ai chuckled mischievously before getting up with a simple, "I would not miss it for the world."

Her team followed, each member feeling a bit grim and a plenty confused, but managing to hide it well but from his byakugan. Neji got to his feet, scanning one last time the room without moving his face, else they would wonder why a blind man cared to look around. He grudgingly noticed how in most individuals, their chakra signature was brighter on a spot just below their abdomen. He growled inwardly at that, not very happy at guessing the cause.

"Lead the way, shadow," Tenten commanded, using a finger to tauntingly caress his cheek. He wanted to glare at her for being a tease, even if that was part of her persona at the moment. More than that, however, he wondered if perhaps his body had given indication to the anger that had blossomed with his latest discovery. Pushing doubts and groans aside, he gave a curt nod, turned on his heels and lead the way, everyone silently, eagerly on tow.

Neji hurried his pace once they were out of the building. He wanted to put as much distance between Tenten and the Oschiro Clan as he was able to without giving the impression that they were running –which was precisely what they were doing. At some point, though, he noticed Tenten's pace decreasing and, not wanting to leave her behind, he lowered his speed accordingly.

"Tenten..?" he heard Lee, who was flanking her, ask in a tone so uncharacteristically low and solemn, that it made the Hyuga stop on his tracks, ripped the bandages off and look at her, really _look_.

What he saw, he did not like. She was as pale as a ghost and her brow was covered by a thin sheen of perspiration. He knew that her stamina had nothing to do with it and he wondered again what had caused her energies to tangle into such a mess. Activating his byakugan he looked over her, regarding the flow –or lack thereof- with a deep frown. It looked as if someone had closed some of her pathways, but as hard as he studied it, he could not detect the spot that was creating the disruption.

"Can you help her?" asked Naruto, holding Tenten by one arm when she swayed on her feet, losing her balance for an instant as she struggled for breath. She looked as though she'd been running for hours on end. The physical and mental exhaustion were so evident that it pulled at Neji's heartstring like a puppeteer.

"There's something wrong with her chakra, but I just don't know how to fix it," Neji admitted with frustration, moving towards her pale form. He knew it was dangerous to stop when they were still so very near the Oschiro Clan. Scanning the area around them for good measure, he was relieved and a bit surprised to find no one had followed them.

Satisfied, he scooped Tenten into his arms. Ignoring her soft, weak protests, he resumed their escape, hurrying the pace in hopes that either Kakashi or Gai would be able to help her. Even if they couldn't, then Neji was, one way or another, going to extract an explanation out of them. That was a promise that he would not fail to keep.

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **remembered his arms, the only thing that seemed solidly real in the subsequent blur of colors and sounds. She remembered the fire, its warmth slapping her skin but unable to reach the coldness that had taken residence inside her. She remembered the soothing whispers in her ears. She remembered the heartbreaking pleas and the intense promises that sounded familiar, even when they didn't quite registered and stayed hidden under layers of hazy mist. She remembered the anger that followed, voices snapping at one another, demanding explanations, voicing worries and fears and confusion. She empathized with that last.

In between those memories, came the flashes.

They were fast and chaotic, a heavy burden on her mind. Infinite images of a distant world, a different time whirled around her, unable to stay still, unable to be grasped, sliding away from her just as she made a dash for them. But not all of them danced out of her reach. Some stayed and waltzed with her, guiding her deeper into a forgotten path. Not all, much to her disappointment, were nice and filled with smiles and bright, hazel and silver eyes. Yet still she clutched them to her like a lifeline with the same intensity, the same longing as the others.

It was her past.

Elusive and hazy and painful, but hers nonetheless.

From the myriad of instances, she remembered one of them the most, perhaps because even now she felt the anger and the fear rising as she re-experienced that one moment, lost in time only to be rediscover in a state between slumber and stirring.

It started with confusion amidst a pool of anger…

_There was a crowd in the distance; she could hear the profane yells as they moved forward with jerky steps. The anger of those countless people was palpable in the air and she knew that, if her tension could be externalized, the air would be cracking with it. _

"_What's happening?" she asked her grandmamma, who was holding her hand as she watched with a glare of her own. But Tenten could tell that, below her regal disposition, lay a worry that made her tighten her hold on her almost painfully. Tenten, however, bore it without an outward sign of discomfort. _

_Her grandmamma's only answer was a sharp shake of the head as her eyes remained glued to the scene happening just a few blocks away from their compound. Tenten didn't know why, but she felt the pull of the mob as the seconds tickled by. It called to her just as strongly as it repulsed her, and Tenten was left wondering what to do. _

_She saw her father arriving with uncle Yeamon and some of the strongest of the Tetsua men shortly after they'd noticed the gathering crowd. Without a moment to wait, they ventured inside. The tension in their bodies belied what her grandmamma had told her when first they'd stepped out the threshold to have a better look. This was not an issue that would be resolved without bloodshed. _

_Unable to fight the temptation anymore, she slipped out of her grandmamma's vice-like hold. Before the older woman could stop her, she was running as fast as her feet would carry her –which was indeed very fast—in the direction of the uproar. Without stopping to think about what the consequences of ignoring her grandmamma's yells would bring, she plunged into the belly of the beast that was the mob. _

_She made her way between countless legs, earning a slap or a curse here and there from those she pushed aside to make leeway into the center. She wanted to know what had caused the unhappiness of all these people. She also wanted to be there just in case her father was in need of her skills. She was, after all, despite her young age, the champion of silver._

_She stopped when she reached the edge of the human timber. Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know what she'd expected but it certainly wasn't this. With a piercing cry, she ran towards the sprawled, bloody body that was on the ground, barely moving but for her shallow breaths. _

_Tenten's brown eyes stung with tears as she knelt beside her. Kami, there was so much red… so much blood… so much pain! _

"_How dare you lay a finger on my wife, Nobu," her dad, who'd been towering over her mother, hissed with venom in his voice. He had a sharp blade in each hand and his eyes held so much hatred, that Tenten hoped he would never turn that look on her. _

"_Mom…" she called in a whisper, afraid that if she spoke louder, she would break her. Everything else ceased to be as she focused on the center of her world, which was now threatening to collide on top of her. She really didn't want her mother to break... _

_As if reading her thoughts, her mom managed a small smile, not showing her teeth probably because they were red with her blood. Tenten knew that if her arm hadn't been broken, she would have tried to brush away the tears that she'd been unable to reign in. It didn't matter how many times she'd pretended she was already a warrior to behold, at almost eight, Tenten, today, felt just as scared as a five-year old. _

"_Listen! You are a blind fool, Ryuu!" Nobu snapped, pulling a man by the shirt forward. He belonged to none of the clashing clans and, perhaps because of that, had seemed reluctant to cross any of the people there by talking. But Nobu would have none of it and he made it known, "Tell him and his men what you witnessed this afternoon! You were there with us, now speak!"_

_Ryuu nodded at the man, as if giving him permission to talk, and so the scared man did, "S-she was meetin' a man from Konoha! The green beast, he was! I know 'cause I served in the front lines and I'd seen him before and heard of'im! I-I'm sorry, Lord Tetsua," he was quick to add with a deep bow, "b-but that's what I saw, I swear I did." _

_There was silence for a moment and Tenten felt her uncle kneeling beside her, checking on her mother, trying to gauge the damage. Tenten felt more tears running down her flushed cheeks. Kami, it hurt to see her mom, always so strong and proud, laying so still while people told lies about her. Because they were lies! Stupid, dirty LIES! _

"_It'll be okay, Saori," Yaemon whispered soothingly in a tone so low, that had Tenten not been so close, she wouldn't have heard him. But she did and she was thankful for his reassurance. _

"_Let me see if I got this straight," Ryuu began in a tone so calm and cold and low that it hushed the whispers that had broken out with the man's lies. "You mean to tell me that based on one man's words, you decided to become judge and executioner?"_

"_She's a spy!" Nobu spat, "I was near when it happened. I tried to apprehend the Konoha spy but she," he pointed at her mom's bloody form, "she helped him escape. She fought us and killed one of my men!" _

_Tenten wanted to punch him. She wanted to pierce that stupid leg he liked to use to kick his servants with one of her kunais. She would have done it too, if not for Yaemon's hand on her shoulder, rendering her still. How dared he sputter such lies! Her mom was not a traitor! Her mom would never help Konoha!_

"_This is my wife, Nobu, and if you don't want me to make you regret the day you laid a finger on her, you'll do good to remember it." Louder, for all to hear, he continued, his tone allowing no arguments. "This is Testsua business and it is I and mine who would look into it. If I see you," he pointed at the big man, "or any other of your people near my property again, or if I hear one more word about this from anyone, I will turn all of my steel on you and by the time I'm finished, Oschiro would be but a distant memory, you hear me!" Her father's threat had been so powerfully voiced that it brought the promise home more successfully than if he'd made good on it. _

_Then, without even waiting for an answer, her dad put his swords away –though the accompanying Tetsuas didn't, and neither did Tenten, who had been gripping her kunai from the moment she'd recognized her mom- and scooped up her mother. With the help of Yaemon, she too came to her feet and followed her dad upon his silent command, one that he was very apt in conveying with only a look her way. The mob that had been hard to breach when she'd approached, now parted silently, allowing them a free pass._

_She hated them too for standing passively while her mom had been maltreated. Midway through the crowd, Tenten glared over her shoulder, at the red faced man who, with arms crossed, was glaring at her parents. She swore to herself that one day she would make him pay in blood for what he'd done. Anything less would be an insult to her mom. _

When Tenten next opened her eyes, feeling her body protesting the lack of movement but thankful that at least her mind had broken out of the haze she'd been under for Kami knew how long, she found herself in a white, bare room. She blinked in recognition. She had never seen the room from this angle, lying down looking at the ceiling, but she'd been here before… visiting her teammates on countless occasions.

It was Konoha's hospital and for a second, as the remnants of that one instant caressed her mind, she panicked with the feeling that she didn't belong here. The intense feeling, short as it had been, left her breathless and made her heart hammer hard in her chest.

"Oh, thank Kami you're finally awake!" Tenten heard as a face was shoved into her line of sight. It was Sakura, a pad on her arm and a pen secured behind her ear. "We've all been worried sick about you!"

"What happened?" Tenten asked hoarsely, suddenly feeling very thirsty. As if she'd read her thoughts, Sakura produced a glass of water which Tenten gulped down in an instant.

"I'm not sure. You were brought here by the guys. They said that you suddenly passed out and had been delirious throughout the journey back. Nobody knew what was wrong, so Tsunade herself came down to take a look. Whatever she did, it seems to get you better except for the fact that you slipped into a coma-" she explained in a rush.

"A coma!" Tenten tried to sit down only to feel her head swarming and her stomach being invaded by a wave of nausea.

Sakura pushed her back, "A short one. Only for a week."

Tenten sighed, she was so relieved that she didn't fight Sakura's hand and, instead, was happy to lie back down.

"Have you any idea what happened, Sakura?" she asked, looking her in the eye, wanting to detect if she lied and willing to call her on it. The pink haired woman shifted her weight, looking slightly uncomfortable under her gaze. "I want to hear it, Sakura, even if it is a crazy theory."

Sakura sighed, sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward in order to whisper, "I took a peek when Tsunade was here… there was something strange." She frowned, trying to come up with the right words to explain what was clearly something she'd never encountered before. "It was as if someone had spelled your mind. I heard Tsunade muttering to herself something about memory binds. I think… I think she tried to undo it, but then Gai broke in and stopped her and then they left."

"Gai-sensei?" Tenten frowned, trying to glue the pieces together. Could this have to do with the mission? After all, Neji had hinted that it had something to do with Gai…

"Kami, Tenten," Sakura sighed, shaking her head, as if eager to change the subject, afraid that someone would come in and learn that she'd seen something that wasn't meant for her. Her face became even more solemn after a pause and her green eyes took a haunted look that she'd last seen on her when Sasuke had been taken. "For a moment, when they brought you in and you didn't stop trashing and crying and mumbling incoherently, the first thing I feared was that Itachi had come back from the dead and had used his Tsukuyomi technique to trap you inside a horrible illusion. It broke our hearts to see you suffer so!"

Tenten's eyes widened and she perked up at those words, the beginning of an idea forming, "Sharingan…"

Sakura barely heard her as she stood up to pace the room and open the windows. She then droned on and on about how everyone had been so worried and what a hard time she'd had trying to keep them out of her room so that Tenten could get a good rest once she was out of danger.

Tenten's mind, however, was busy mulling other things. She was following the string of the idea Sakura had accidentally given her. Something, it seemed, had been done to her. Something that not even Tsunade herself had been able to undo. That something had to do with her memory and Tenten had just found a way –perhaps a very dangerous way, but the only one she could think of—of getting what was hers back.

Whether she would regret doing it was something she would not consider, for what was missing was extremely important.

**To be continued…**


	10. Soundless Darkness

**Revised: **5/28/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** DarkAnonymous324, Birdbwainz, Kenzinator, Anniewanny2, Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan, Sleepyreader319_, _and Just Lovely. You guys are awesome!

* * *

"_In order to have something stand, one must risk letting it fall."_

_~Legend of the Seeker~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 10: "Soundless Darkness"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_The days roll by slowly, so very slowly. Without exception, they all come to an end with me curled up on my bed, agonizing with the fear that the last time I saw him it was with anger in my heart. Every week we receive a letter from him, reporting what's happening, reassuring us that he's fine, asking us what we've been up to. And every week I send one back, a long one, detailing every single thing that Tenten has done. I do not wish him to miss even one moment of her life. _

_Yaemon comes often. I do not say this out loud for fear of misinterpretation, but I have become eager for his company to a point where the smiles we exchange aren't awkward or fake anymore. Rather, they are comfortable and even somewhat happy. Unlike the bloody rumors flying around about a romance building between us, we know the truth. It is not romance, but friendship. Yes, we've become close, but I see Yaemon now as my own brother, nothing more, nothing less. In that way… I guess you can say that I do love him. _

_With unbound relief I learn that Mama Bear sees the situation as it is as well. I do not even want to imagine what Ryuu would think, how he would feel if he thought that I've betrayed him. I fear he would stop fighting and allow death to take him, and that I cannot permit. So I do my best to play the part of clan's head in the absence of my husband, and I command all rumors to stop else they encounter my wrath. That seems to do the trick, either that or Mama Bear's glare thrown over my shoulder. I do not tell her with words that I've seen her support and am happy for it. Instead I just relay my heartfelt thanks with a look. She understands, of course. She is, after all, the master when it comes to conveying things with eyes alone. _

_The days turned to weeks, the weeks to months, the months to years. The pain of Ryuu's absence is constant and unrelenting, palpitating with each beat of my heart. But it has become less intense, allowing me to not shed as many tears anymore. Or perhaps I have just run out of tears? Would that be possible? Could someone cry so much for so very long that her reserve of tears comes to an end? For me, the thought doesn't feel as inane as it would have had I remained the Black Widow. _

_It is sunny today. _

_The warmth is so intense that all training has ceased across the compound in favor of finding cover under a shade and dozing up or relaxing with mundane conversations. Yaemon -off duty for the day- came to visit, bringing Tenten another one of the wooden toys he likes to carve for her. While relaxing on the porch with my child between us, we hear her speak her first word. It stuns me and breaks my heart. _

_Her first word had been 'dad', but it hadn't been towards Ryuu. _

_I stay very still, not knowing how to proceed, not knowing how to tell her not to say that without accidently insulting my new friend, my new brother in more than just name. Yaemon stands up and promptly disappears inside the house. I fear that he would go and leave me to this mess. So I twist on my seat, not really knowing what to say but wanting him to come back and help me make her understand. Yet, my fears prove baseless when he returns shortly after. As he approaches, I notice that he's holding an object delicately, reverently even. I recognize the frame and smile and wait and hold my breath. The frame holds a picture of Ryuu with Tenten on his arms, taken by Yeamon himself shortly after she'd been born. _

_Yaemon sits back on the porch and Tenten is quick to climb on his lap, like she likes to do when he visits. He allows it with a smile and, once she's settled, he shows her the picture he carries. He points to the handsome, grinning figure that is Ryuu and I detect the slight trembling of his finger. _

"_This is your dad," he says, tapping his face and repeating, "dad."_

_Tenten's doe eyes take in the image and I can see the gears in her little head working to make sense of it. After a pause, in which I admit I lost hope that she would understand, she points at the picture, at Ryuu and echoes, "Dad."_

_Yaemon is just as ecstatic as me with his success so that he laughs and agrees and kisses the top of her brown mat of hair. Tenten replies with a hearty giggle of her own as I join in the laughter. I doubt, despite how quick she is to grasp things, that she understands the reason for our happiness, but part of me wonders if I am selling her short. As if attracted by my thoughts, she turns to me and beams. Kami, that wide smile reminds me so very much of her dad... that it hurts a little to see it. But still, I'm glad she looks more like him than me, for she'll turn out to be a very handsome woman once she's older, of that I am certain. _

"_This is your uncle," I point at Yaemon, "Ya-e-mon."_

_Tenten twists her neck so that she's looking up at him. She grabs his nose in her little hand, pulls at it and echoes, "Un Ya-e-mon." Yaemon chuckles at her antique and nods, pulling his nose out of her grip and taking her little hand instead. Then, pointing to me he is about to say something, when Tenten interrupts him with a yell, "Ma-ma!"_

_I cry then amidst proud laughter. I guess that I haven't run out of tears after all, huh? I also wonder if from me she would inherit a tongue of silver. That, at the very least, is a skill I do not mind passing down to her, hoping that it would get her out of the trouble that she would surely get into. She has, after all, Tetsua blood. _

_More days pass by and Tenten is four, already a master with her wooden swords, or so Yaemon insists. The news had spread, the war is over and we are on the losing side. I do not know how to feel, whether sad or happy, so instead I settle for solemnity. At the very least, the Fire had taken some damage as well, and because of that, despite the fact that they came out victorious in the battle that counted the most, they do not move in to punish the Earth further. Instead, they retreat back to their own territory, back to the greens and browns of a landscape that hasn't been as devastated as their enemies'._

_Kami! It is hard, even now, after all this years, after all I've done… after all I've betrayed, to call this country my own. And yet, I do not, I cannot regard the Fire and Konoha any differently. I am… lost in between two countries and, therefore, in a way, I belong to none. _

_I'm torn. Even if part of me is indeed happy that my former home had won, the other part shares the pain of those around me. I share their depression and ask the same 'what-ifs'. The only thing, really, that makes me truly happy is the thought that Ryuu has made it and would be back soon. Kami, I still can't believe it! He's kept his promise! I cannot wait for the day I see his face again. I confess that I've almost forgotten what his voice sounds like, what his lips taste like…_

_I go out to get some groceries, having left Tenten under the care of Yaemon. When I come back a couple of hours later, I find him sitting on the porch stairs, tears streaming down his cheeks. I freeze in fear and let go of the bags of groceries. That makes him look up at me and what must be my pale, pained expression. He's quick to come to my aid and holds me when I start to sway with the implications of his sadness. Except, now that he's close, I see the smile on his lips and I'm… confused. _

"_W-wha…?" the question dies on my lips unfinished as I realize that there's commotion everywhere. I can hear sobs and squeals and laughter coming from the nearby houses. I take in the duffle bags left on porches, forgotten under the onslaught of cheerfulness and tears. _

_They've come back! _

_The soldiers who've made it are back! _

_Yaemon nods at me, as if having read my thoughts, and I push away, feeling my legs –despite their sudden lack of strength- swallow the distance to my house. I pull the door open, not sure what I would find, and I… I cannot give one more step, I cannot bring one more breath into my lungs, I cannot think on what to say first, I cannot enunciate any other word than his name. His sweet, sweet name in a tenuous whisper…_

"_Ryuu."_

_He is sitting on the couch with Tenten pressed against his flank, half-sitting in his lap, crying her little eyes out as he hugs her tight to him. I am pleased that she didn't shy away from him, that she wasn't scared of him like many other children would have been. Just more corroboration of how special the kid is._

_Ryuu pulls his gaze away from our daughter to look at me and he smiles, his eyes tearful, his frame a bit leaner than when he'd left. "Saori," he calls to me in that voice I've almost forgotten, that voice that makes me shudder with longing._

_I go to them and hug him and kiss him and whisper what I know would make him happiest, "Welcome home." _

_He laughs and it's a beautiful, beautiful sound. "I'm home." His arm tightens about both of us. "Kami, I missed you guys…," he kisses Ten's temple and then my own before adding, "Saori…Tenten…I love you guys and I'm sorry for-"_

_I kiss him to stop an apology that I no longer need, happy that our family has been reunited at long last. And I promise, as I feel his lips answering mine, that I will never allow myself to forget the taste again, no matter what happens, no matter what the future has in store for us. Maybe, just maybe, the future will for once deal me a good set of cards…_

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **had his entire world shaken throughout the entire journey back. He'd allowed no one, save Lee and Gai, to hold Tenten as the group of males pushed past their limitations. All of them had wanted nothing more than to reach Konoha and have someone who could actually help do something for Tenten.

It was a devastating blow, the one they'd been dealt. To the point that even when holding onto professionalism, the journey had been grim and silent. The silence that had enveloped them, however, had been broken now and then by Tenten's groans and gasps and hollers and sniffs. Neji had never despised silence like he did that time. It had been painful to hear the distress of the only person he truly cared about and know that he could do nothing to stop it.

He'd been impotent. It had strongly reminded him of when he'd last seen his dad, walking to what he knew was an unfair execution, knowing that no one could do anything to stop it. Even till this day, the guilt of knowing he'd tried nothing was almost unbearable. He could not allow the same to happen here, with her. She was all he cared about and he'd not been given the opportunity yet to let her know. She could not leave him like his dad had done, not when he'd just come to terms with the fact that, somewhere along the way, she'd stolen his heart.

As soon as they'd touched Konoha, Neji had rushed to the hospital with his entourage on tow. Chaos ensured when they'd stepped inside the building. Someone had ordered him to place Tenten on a bed and, though hesitant when thinking this could be the last day he held her in his arms, he'd done it. All for the sake of having her smile at him one more time. He would give his very life for her if it was needed.

People moved all around her, looking and prodding and commenting in whispers to one another about her condition. He did not like the implications of their frowns, or how they gave each other worried looks. At some point, someone had been stupid enough to try to pull him out the room. Neji, though, had stood his ground and glared daggers at whoever thought to try to convince him to leave. He would not leave her. Not until he knew she was out of danger. Maybe not then even. He could never leave her, really. Not unless she'd asked him to. And even then, he would have to try because by this point, his very life was hers.

When Sakura had come into the room and had seen him there, arms crossed, tensed body and a glare to match his mood, she'd signaled the staff to leave him alone. Patiently, she'd listen to the staff whisper their thoughts before she'd moved to Tenten and had tried to determine what was happening to her. Her deep frown marked her lack of success and it was thus that Tsunade was called.

When the Sanin came into the crowded room, everyone became silent. With a look, she'd sent everyone out, except for him and Sakura. Neji was glad. He did not know if he was yet ready to stand up to the Hokage for something like this, not because he was afraid of her, but because he was afraid to answer when she asked for his reasons. And he was sure she would. If there was something she liked more than sake, it was delving into the love life of her ninjas.

After a brief examination of Tenten's charts, she prodded every part of her unconscious body, intrigued when she found neither physical nor internal wounds. When she reached her head, she placed a hand on each temple and closed her eyes.

Neji unconsciously activated his byakugan and was surprised to find Tsunade's own chakra seeping into Tenten and bringing forth something that had been hidden from him. Slowly but surely a strange crown of runes appeared tattooed on Tenten's head. It was something he'd never seen before. But Tsunade seemed to recognize it because she'd spoke the name of her teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage in wonderment.

He'd next studied her as she tried to undo –or at least he supposed that's what she was doing—one of the energy runes in the chain. Her brow had soon been marked by confusion, frustration and sweat. Never had anything looked so very challenging to the Sanin as this did.

A commotion outside had interrupted, followed by the rushing, _loud_ form of his former sensei. He'd demanded Tsunade to stop –by almost barreling into her, no less—from undoing the spell the Third Hokage had weaved. Angry at the interruption, or maybe at almost being throttled, she'd sent Gai to her office and was about to follow, when Tenten convulsed. Checking on her once her body had become still, Tsunade had spoke the words that froze his hear.

"Damn that beast!" she'd cursed and turning to him she'd explained in a calmer voice, "She's in a coma, Hyuga."

Then she was gone. Just like that. And Neji's world seem to crumble just a little more.

To keep his mind away from the bleak situation, he'd put all his energies and efforts into finding out what had caused Tenten's breakdown in the first place. He knew it had to do with the Oschiro Clan, but it made no sense to him! Tenten was Konoha to the bone, she'd never gone out of the country except for small missions here and there and normally Neji was part of them. The Earth could not have had contact with his teammate without Hyuga Neji finding out.

With no better alternative, Neji had left his post beside Tenten's bed after visiting hours had ended the next day and gone to find the one man who seemed to know what was going on. Neji had broken into his house like a dark storm. Gai had acted as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened, as though the glare in his face had always been there –which granted, it most of the times was—but not this intense!

He'd tried to talk first, then they'd move to a heated discussion, then they'd snapped at each other, both wanting to put blame on someone else. Finally, he'd demanded that Gai spilled what he knew. Neji had been adamant in his efforts to extract information from his former sensei. However, Gai had proven formidable in the defense of his secrets and so Neji had been forced into doing the unthinkable.

By the third day, more panicked and overwhelmed by the secrets that could cost Tenten her bloody life, Neji had broken into the Hokage's office in hopes that he would be able to find answers there. After a quick scan to detect if he'd been discovered by the patrolling ANBU, he'd begun to systematically check the piles of reports that were sitting on Tsunade's desk. Neji had been ready to inspect every nook and crane of the office if it was necessary, the fact that this behavior could land him in trial for treason hadn't even crossed his mind.

Two hours later, after countless useless reports and hidden sake bottles, he'd spotted something of promise. With a grunt, he'd pulled a slim, old book out from underneath a dangerously high pile of papers. The cover was made of black leather and there was no title on it. Opening it, he'd been surprised to find pages filled with handwritten notes. By scanning one, he'd learned that this was a mission journal of an undercover operative that had been sent to the Earth country before the war. Her codename: _Black Widow_.

Aware that Tenten seemed to have some kind of connection to the Oschiro Clan, he'd scanned the pages trying to find a familiar name. When the Oschiro Clan had been mentioned, the flames of his hopes had been fanned and, crouching near the window in an effort to see the words more clearly, he'd continued moving through the pages. Until at last he found what he was looking for, her name glowing like a beacon.

_You were the tenth girl born to the clan, the first child to survive after ten years of failed births. You were surrounded by tens, and so, when at last they asked what your name would be, I spoke the only name befitting you._

"_Tenten."_

He'd read the passage again, making sure it was indeed the name of the woman that had come to mean so much to him. The name stared right back at him and part of him wondered at the implications. Clearing his mind of doubts, he'd made the decision to take the book. So he'd tucked it in his pants, the cover pressed against his lower back, and had left as quietly and swiftly as he'd arrived.

It took him four days to read and digest the journal. By the end, he felt dizzy and angry and frustrated. How could they have hidden all this from Tenten? She had a right to know and he was going to tell her, no questions about that! But first, he needed to know _why_. Why had they tampered with her past? Why had Gai allowed it? And, most importantly, why was he still –even till this day—obstinate in keeping Tenten in the shadows?

There had to be a bloody good reason for this deceit, and he would not rest until he found out why!

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **brushed the remnants of tiredness aside. Years under Gai's training -and adding Lee's peculiar antiques to the mix- had given her the control necessary to keep from bolting out as soon as Sakura had started yapping her mouth. It wasn't that she disliked the medic-nin more than she was a bit envious that she'd gotten Tsunade's personal attention in regards to tutelage without even _trying_! While Tenten had—

She sighed, shook her head and expulsed the childish thought out of her mind, if not entirely out of her heart. It was to be expected, wasn't it? Tenten wasn't that noteworthy and she'd long since made her peace with that, or so she kept reminding herself whenever something or someone made her feel inadequate.

Disgusted by the thought, she slapped her cheek. Hard. She was sure a red mark was left behind, testament to her punishment for allowing something like this to distract her. This incredibly inane thing was _nothing_ when held besides the bigger picture, and she ought to know that by now. Yet, if she was as unimportant as part of her had always believed, then why would someone care to tamper with her mind?

It just didn't make sense… none at all.

_Okay, focus on the now, Tenten. You can do nothing, decide nothing, believe nothing without first getting answers, _she reminded herself sternly, forcing a stop to the avalanche of questions and the twister of reproaches.

She cleared her mind and concentrated on the sound, listening as the nurse on guard stepped into her room. She closed her eyes, feigning sleep. The nurse took her sweet time in looking around, checking her chart and doing some other routinely things. Had Tenten not been gifted with patience, she would have ordered her out already. Granted, it was thanks to her team that she'd developed a lifetime of patience, but her pride at earning it did not diminished with the thought.

With eyes closed and even breathing, Tenten waited for the nurse to finish making her rounds before sprinting into action. She was glad she'd snapped out of her coma right after visiting hours had ended, for she doubted she would have been able to otherwise act so soon.

Peering in the direction of the door one more time, and noticing nothing out of the ordinary, she rolled out of the bed, pulling the IV tube out of her arm as she went. The moment her bare feet came into contact with the ground and she straightened, the small room spun sharply, threatening to send her to the floor when her legs became wobbly and unstable. She stood perfectly still for some time, holding onto the nightstand for balance, waiting and pleading to Kami-Sama that the swarming feeling and the horrible nausea that came in its wake would pass before she lost her chance. It did after a while, more slowly than she'd hoped for but providing her with enough time to still make it out before the next nurse came to check up on her.

Whistling softly in relief, she moved toward the closet with tentative steps, testing her strength and wincing at how friggin' cold the floor was against her oversensitive skin. Her mood brightened upon encountering a bag there with a clean outfit inside. She'd been counting on it, but she'd been disappointed in her wishes before. Stripping her gown off, she dressed herself in record time before pushing the window open and soundlessly slipping out.

It was cold, colder than ever before. Or perhaps the lack of energy had prompted her body's defenses to weaken? Whatever the reason was, it had curses rolling off of Tenten's tongue in between grinding teeth. She walked the streets rather than travel through the rooftops, afraid that if her strength failed her, she would end up falling and breaking something that she couldn't afford right now. As it was, she did her best to hurry her pace and stay to the shadows, her eyes darting around, her heart beating fast. If she didn't know any better, she would have sworn she'd crossed into enemy territory. For some reason, part of her didn't find the thought all that strange…

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she reached her destination. Staring her in the face was the entrance to an ominous and silent compound. On the top of the wooden doors, hung the crest of the Uchihas, like a drop of blood amidst the ground. It seemed more than ever before a banner of tragedy as opposed to an object of pride.

"Okay, here goes nothing, I suppose," she told herself, pushing the doors that –under Tsunade's orders, could never be locked—and stepping inside. With some hesitation, which might have come more for fear of wakening the Uchihas' ghosts rather than their avenger, she moved through the countless, empty houses. Just as she was about to turn on the path that would lead her to Sasuke's house, he materialized seemingly out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here, Tenten?" he asked, almost making her jump out of her skin.

_Shit!_ She really was tired if she hadn't even noticed him approaching. Not to say, of course, that his skill wasn't one to behold, but this had been basic stealth and she shouldn't have been caught unawares! Neji would have been greatly disappointed and Gai and Lee would have made her run a thousand laps around the village. Funny, how the thought of the first seemed a more severe punishment.

"Sasuke," she greeted softly. And turning around to face him, she was surprised to be met not with the expected anger at her intrusion but with unbound relief. She wouldn't, naturally, be as ingrate as to complain. In fact, she welcomed it because, as horrible as it sounded, she was already thinking on a way to use his feelings to coerce him into helping her. If she was pushed that far, that is. And though a less cynic part of her hoped she wouldn't, the other welcomed the challenge to try her luck at a silver tongue.

"I'm glad you're alright," he confessed as he approached, the small smile on his face attesting to his genuine sentiments. Tenten felt ashamed of the thoughts her mind was entertaining, but did her best to remain outwardly impassive. "None of us said anything… but I think we were all worried you wouldn't wake up."

Much as she wanted to answer with a beaming smile, Tenten couldn't do more than curl her lips into a smile as strained as it could get. Fact was, she needed him to do something for her that he might not appreciate. Until that was out of the way, she couldn't afford displaying emotions that could jeopardize her plan.

He frowned, she guessed, at being confronted with as cold an expression as it had ever marred her face. Tenten, after all, was known for her candidness towards all people, even traitors such as he'd been. Hell, she was one of the few who'd welcomed him back with an authentic smile and she would not quake at making use of that memory, wrong as it might be to do so.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything," he continued, folding his arms across his chest, "but what are you doing here, Tenten?" His face solidified into a blank expression, his tone returning to his low, signature grimness as he sought to reveal the purpose of her visit.

"I need your help," she admitted, crossing her arms in an effort to keep warm, not wishing to beat around the bush too much else she would lose her courage. She tried to gauge his expression, but he was still a master in concealing his emotions and this day was no exception.

"Anything," he replied with a small shrug, probably thinking it would be a simple matter and thus resolved easily. Tenten wished he would be as fast to comply once she told him exactly what she needed from him. She doubted he would. What she needed, after all, was for him to play the part of Itachi in the dramatic play that her life had become.

Steeling herself, Tenten closed the distance between them until their bodies were almost touching. She saw his back straightening and, unbidden, the memory of when she'd captured his lips came to mind. She remembered he'd stiffened then as well, right before he'd hungrily tried to answer her touch. She hated herself even as she stored that knowledge into her assembled arsenal.

Tenten's unflinching gaze chained those dark orbs of his that seemed to perpetually brood. She allowed a pregnant pause, hoping the closeness would dull his sharp mind enough to make the concealment of his emotions sloppier. If she was to win him over, she needed every advantage she could get. And using her feminine wiles, a thing she'd done only in very few occasions, was not out of the question today.

"Mangekyō Sharingan," she said in a whisper that still managed to sound loud. It could have been because they were isolated from all other life, or maybe it was just what came out that was dreadful enough to render even nature silent. As those two little words, which had probably destroyed his life, no doubt, sunk in, she felt him tense from head to toes. He gave a step back, as if she'd slapped him. But she was quick to grip his arm, afraid that he would bolt before she could finish, "Sasuke… I need you to use it on _me_."

Maybe it was her strategy, or maybe it was just the absurdity of her request, but his handsome face twisted to display a mixture of anger, confusion and horror all at the same time. He tried to pull away, but she resisted. He was her only chance to know, to truly know who she was! And she would not, _could_ not be denied!

Finding his efforts futile, he did a double take, as if expecting her to laugh at what had to be a joke. But her face was dead serious and that only helped in making anger prevail over all other emotions. With an intensity that baffled her, he took a hold of her shoulders, his fingers digging into her skin despite her clothes. He leaned towards her until their faces were but inches apart and snarled, "Are you bloody mad?"

Tenten was prepared for something like this, and her response came out automatically, "Somehow, for some reason, someone _tampered_ with my memory. Who I was, it is lost to me, and I want –I _need_ the knowledge back!"

"So you come to me!" He shook his head and gave a sarcastic laugh. None too gently, he pushed her away from him.

Tenten abided by his wishes and let go of his arm, but remained close, ready to stop him if he tried to leave before this discussion was settled. His anger, at least, diminished now that he was able to put some distance between them. It was almost as if the distance had given him the power to think past his emotion and initial reaction. Tenten wondered if she should approach him again, before he outmaneuvered her.

"Kami, Tenten!" he sighed softly, tiredly. "If what you said is true—"

"It is," she insisted.

He looked at her and cracked his knuckles absentmindedly. She could see his mind working, trying to gather together his scattered thoughts. Tenten knew it was a mistake to have allowed him to push her away, but she knew it could piss him up more if she tried to intrude into his personal space when he was thinking this hard. But… shit. He was calmer now, much calmer. And that was not particularly in her best interest…

"Tenten, why not just go to Sakura or Tsunade or any other healer and ask them to help you? It seems to me like that is the best course of action. I'm sure that will probably get you better results than coming to me with this… this _foolish_ idea!"

Tenten shook her head, "Don't you think I thought the same? But they can't, Sasuke. I asked Sakura and she said not even Tsunade could undo the bind!"

She saw him shifting uncomfortably. She'd had enough of this! She needed to take back the control that was slowly slipping away from her fingers. So she moved towards him and grabbed him by the front of his white gi, not in a threatening manner, but in desperation.

"My past is buried within my own head, Sasuke! Do you know what that feels? To remember only in blurry nightmares things that are supposed to be monumental to me? The very things that were supposed to act as the base of who I should have been were taken from me!" Her grip tightened and she forced tears into her eyes, though the sadness was real enough. Maybe the tears were too…

Damn. She was too far gone into her plan for her to even distinguish what was true from what wasn't. Maybe it was all true? Or maybe she was enjoying her darker nature. Humans, after all, are said to come from darkness. And she was, like all humans, prone to be corrupted by said darkness. If it wasn't for that, then there would be no killing. And she'd killed. She'd maimed and hurt and killed. And sometimes, when she was in the middle of that violent chaos that was a battle, she'd found herself enjoying it.

"Ten-" Sasuke tried to stop her from speaking further, but she didn't give him the chance and continued undeterred. Baring it all, even if in a manipulating sort of way, for the one chance at assembling the puzzle that was her past, her life.

"Only you, Sasuke," she whispered, pushing him until his back was against a wall and then she pushed some more, so that her body was pressing his. She could feel it all, then. She felt her own body absorbing his warmth, stopping her shivering. Absently, she counted his drumming heartbeats as his shallow breaths fanned across her face. "Only you understand what it is like to have _everything_ taken from you. Except you remember he who did it. You had the power and, more importantly, the information to extract your revenge. To make those that wronged you pay! And someone wronged me, Sasuke, yet I cannot avenge who I was, because the information has been taken from me, just like all the rest!"

Uncomfortable by their closeness, he'd tried to wriggle out of her grasp, but his efforts dwindled as she'd continued, her comments slamming home one after the other. At the end of it, he was silent and unmoving.

Kami! She never knew she could be so ruthless.

"Revenge… will not give you happiness, Tenten, trust me, I know," he argued, his tone soft, his voice trembling, his eyes dark with overwhelming pain. He still wouldn't actively touch her, but she felt his fingers once brush her sides, as if wanting to but knowing better than to give in to his impulses.

Tenten didn't like herself very much, but she couldn't stop. If she'd hurt him, then at least something good might as well come out of this mess.

"I have no wish for happiness," she responded softly, truthfully, looking at him, "I just want closure."

His eyes disappeared under his lids and she was glad for it. She hated seeing what she'd done. He was torn with the decision. She could see it in every line of his face. She could detect it in the way his brow came down, in the way his jaw displayed the pressure of grinding teeth. She could feel it in the tension hugging his body, his every muscle bulging, his extremities shaking with the wave of emotions she'd unleashed.

Tenten let go of his gi and hugged him instead. She wanted to give him comfort, even as she prepared to hurt him more. She was disgusted at herself for toying with his emotions –emotions that he was still working to repair after his desertion. But she told herself she had no other choice. More than that, she was running out of time.

"I was there for you when you came back… I was one of the few to welcome you, to befriend you, to trust you…" She reminded him, hiding her self-loathing under gentleness for this lost, hurting soul.

"I know that," she pretty much tore that acknowledgment out of his throat. It came hoarse and heavy with emotions he was still trying to fight, to understand, to ignore.

"I've never asked you for anything," she said, pulling back to look at his face. His downcast eyes met hers and she finally felt his hands grabbing her arms, fisting on the fabric of her sleeves. The pain in those dark orbs was so intense, it would have staggered her had she not steeled herself for it. Like the master at stealth that she was, she went it, long past his defenses, and cut. "I've never asked anyone for anything… but now I am. I'm asking you to trust me this time. It's the only thing I will ever ask of you."

"I… I… e-even if I wanted to," his stutter voiced his frustration. She was glad to hear the acknowledgment that he was considering, even if it was hypothetically right now. "There are no techniques of the Mangekyō Sharingan that can help!"

"Tsukuyomi," she offered immediately. She'd been doing some thinking of her own on the matter and she was nothing if not inventive. She had to be. It was the only way she'd managed to not fall behind and lose her spot as Neji's official training partner. Once they'd move in rank and team Gai had been broken up, she'd doubled her efforts in order to give Neji at least a good run for his money.

Sasuke tsked and pushed her away callously. She allowed it, giving him some breathing space. He prowled back and forth, like a cage animal thinking of how best to tear up those who'd captured him. If he'd been prone to it, she was sure he would have growled or, at the very least, cursed profanely at her. But he didn't. And if he wished her ill in his mind, he didn't voice it. Apparently, the more she revealed of her grand plan, the less he liked it. She thought he should give her more credit, but knew better than to demand it and push her luck.

"You… You…," his face grew red with boiling rage, "You're more _mad_ than I thought! Do you know nothing, kunoichi! Tsukuyomi is just an illusion technique, not a recover-my-fucking-memory technique!"

She glared at him but dared not do anything more. She was treading on dangerous ground and even a small move in the wrong direction could blow up the entire field she was playing in. She needed to keep her anger in check and her mind on the game.

Remembering Neji's instructions, she schooled her face into a stoic mask. She opened her arms wide. It was both a plea for him to listen as well as a presentation of the infinite possibilities. "Sasuke, when Itachi used it on you, you were made to experience the Uchiha tragedy all over again, weren't you?"

It was a touchy subject as attested by his dark scowl, "That was different. He was there, which is why he was able to reconstruct the illusion. But that was all it was, a carefully, cruelly constructed hell."

"And yet," she pointed out undeterred by the poison in his voice, "it was from your point of view, wasn't it?" That gave him pause. So she continued, "What if, he took what was there and just reconstructed everything based on that?" She paused to let him digest this. "What if, Sasuke, you could use a variation of the Tsukuyomi to… just rattle what's already there? What if you use the power of the sharingan to shove the bind in my memories and, by trapping me into that illusionary world were time becomes abstract, I can re-experience what is lost to me?"

He began shaking his head before she'd finished, as if even considering such a thing was madness. Tenten was losing him and she began to panic. If she couldn't convince him then everything will be lost! And after she'd tasted some of it, some of her past, she couldn't go back to not knowing. She just couldn't! She wouldn't!

The fear weakened her so that she fell to her knees. It hurt how they hit the ground, but the pain seemed unimportant at the moment. Sasuke's head, however, snapped in her direction and she saw concern surfacing in his eyes. Noticing the reaction, she pounced on it. She hated herself. But still she played her part and bowed down to him, pressing her forehead to the back of the hands she'd placed on the cold, dusty floor.

"W-what are you doing?" He was confused and concerned and, by the tremble in his tone, quite shocked.

"I am _begging_ you to help me," Tenten responded, fighting the urge to look at him, to study his reaction. Later, she knew, the guilt will eat at her, but she couldn't afford those sentiments to intervene right now. So she pushed them back. Let them lay siege to her after all was said and done not before!

"Stop that, Tenten!" he snarled, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her up. "You do not know what you are asking!"

"I'm asking you to help me, Sasuke!"

"No! You're asking me to turn you into the very thing that made me miserable! You're asking me to pass onto you the curse that blinded me to what was truly important! You are asking me to help you destroy your own life!" He was shaking with emotions and, to her surprise, she even saw tears brimming in his eyes. It was heart wrenching to see him like this. It was horrible to know she'd brought this forth. And yet… it was necessary.

"How can we destroy something that's a lie?" she asked him.

"Your life isn't a lie," he argued heatedly.

"Isn't it?" she asked, wriggling out of his grip and opening her arms widely as if to introduce the play that was her life. "Who I believed I was is now in question! Why is everyone entitled to their own past, their own revenge save me? How can I forge a future when my past is lost in between fake memories? How can I go on when I do not know who I am? And how can I find who I am, if I don't know anything at all!"

He combed his hair back and hid his eyes behind a hand. He was still torn but she had to seal the deal, anything less would not do. It was all or nothing now. She approached his hunched figure and took his hand, prying it away in order to see his haunted eyes. He truly was handsome and he truly was in pain. But she needed him like she'd never needed anything before. In his hands laid her past and the key to who she was, to who that man –the traitor in the Ochiro house was.

"If you care for me… even if a little bit, then help me," she said, brushing the single tear that escaped his eyes. She cupped his cheek, kissed his hand and begged, "Please, help me. I will never ask for anything again, I swear."

He hung his head but leaned into her touch. "Kami, forgive me…," he whispered in a tone so low, she almost missed it.

He was devastated! She'd destroyed him! She wondered if she would ever be able to tell him that she hated this just as much as he did, maybe even more. And she wondered, most of all, if he would believe her.

"I'll help you," he looked at her, baring the hurt she'd caused tonight, "And I hope, even if I hate you right now for what you've forced, that neither of us come to regret it."

**To be Continued…**

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**AN: **Wow! Long chapter, huh? Hope you guys enjoy it and, if so, please don't forget to **review**!


	11. Sand Castles

**Revised: **5/28/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** lady-insane-2004, Crestfallenfeline, DarkAnonymous324, anniewanny2and Just Lovely.

**Typos pointed out by: **Just Lovely.

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"_Alongside time exists fate, the bearer of cruelty."_

_~Nix, Persona 3~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 11: "Sand Castles"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_Three years. It would have been four, if Konoha had waited a few more days. But of course, I've never been one to have much luck in life, or receive much love from the Gods either. Why do I say this? Because, almost four years of perfect happiness was all I was given before my world tumbled upside down…_

_My life, luck, or whatever you want to call it, shifted when I went grocery shopping yesterday. With a basket hanging from my arm, I approached the apple stand. That was my first mistake. They were red and fresh and I had always had a weak spot for that particular fruit. It somehow always seemed to fit me, and what I did -which was nothing short of playing the temptress and sinning my way into men's hearts. And even when I have longed since resigned –betrayed- my job as the black widow, I had never been able to ditch the quirk. _

_That day, though, I wished I had. _

_Upon picking an apple, I found a small piece of paper tucked beneath. I wondered how it had remained undisturbed, for I was sure apples were preferred by many besides me. Yet, my mind pushed the oddity aside and I grabbed it. The paper was slightly crumbled but, as I held it with trembling fingers, I saw it had one single kanji written on it. Sunrise. It was the code I'd been given before leaving Konoha. _

_My mission was over. _

_I couldn't help it. I laughed. Low and sarcastic it came, like a harsh bark. The irony was ridiculous! How many times had I wished for this paper? How many times had I taken it with a sense of triumph at knowing I'd accomplished my objective? _

_Now there I was, standing on the other side. I awfully felt like this time I was the one being played by none other than Kami-sama himself. I hated the feeling and wondered, for a split second, if this was to be my righteous punishment. Had my past victims felt like this when they'd found out they'd been living in a fragile Sand Castle? Was this, what I had created, a fantasy as well?_

_I shook my head not in denial, but in anger. Did they truly expect me to return after all this time? _

_Why? Why now? I asked myself even when I knew the answer. Kami, I knew it and hated it. I was a weapon, one of their best shinobi, and nobody would be so fast to discard me, not even after all this time. That was the heart of the matter, wasn't it? There weren't, I was sure, any other kunoichi trained like I had been, for the purpose that they'd used me time and again. I was unique and this was the first time that I felt no ounce of pride for it. _

_For a long while, I just stood there, trying to sort out my feelings, trying to hold in my bitterness. I lingered near the apple stand, studying my surroundings, as if I would be able to recognize whoever had come to retrieve me. But of course, that had been too much to ask! For all I knew, he or she was no longer there. They'd have to have gone. Gone to hide and wait for the right time to meet with me on the accorded ground. On the cave past that waterfall where I'd waited in vain for someone to come and save me from losing my frozen heart. But fact was that nobody came and so, forfeited but all too happy, I gave my heart away… for the very first time and for the last as well. _

_Naively, I asked myself if it would be wiser to just throw the paper away and ignore its existence like Konoha had done with me. I wondered if it would be so terrible for me to walk away. Most of all, I wondered if it would be too stupid of me to hope and pray that whoever had come would leave empty handed, without even an explanation if I failed to meet with him or her. _

_I laughed again at that, bitterness tainting the sound that came out. I knew better. My hand fisted around the paper that was sentencing me to give it all up in exchange for a bleak existence. The small, wet article stuck to my hand like a leech. Yes. That is what it felt like to me. Like a leech wanting to suck me dry. _

_I wish I hadn't gone that day. I wish that I could live in my fantasy, in my small little lie for just one more day… one more week… maybe, if it was not too much to ask, a couple of more years. But, in the core of my heart, I knew better. I knew much better than that. _

_Fate. _

_It truly hated me. Why else would it have decided to blow at my Sand Castle until it crumbled to the ground? Why? Why did you have to do it now, just when I had been fooled into believing that you, fate, had held me against your breast as if I was your favorite daughter! _

_I sighed and pushed the cursed little paper into my pocket. I knew I would have to burn it later, else someone would ask about it. When I left the store that day, my heart was heavy with worry, but my mind was whirling with angry thoughts, my tongue held between my teeth else I would curse at anyone who dared greet me with a smile. Yesterday had not been a nice day. Yesterday had been the beginning of my end. _

_And now, against all my deepest wishes, I find myself here. Sitting in the same spot where I had waited long ago. Kami, it feels to me, looking back upon it, like another life. A life that I was happy to end. A life that I do not want back. _

_Soaked to my bones, I shiver with something that has nothing to do with my physical wellbeing. I know I don't have much time before someone comes looking for me. It is unlike me to be out of my home for too long without letting at least someone know where I'll be. I think about my little child then. I think about the day that her dad gave her his most precious kunai and named her his champion of steel. I think about how proud I felt. If it had been possible, I know my heart would have burst out of my chest._

_My thoughts are interrupted by the presence of someone who'd just stepped into the cave through the curtain of water. I regain my feet, my heart hammering loudly all the way up to my temples. At each of my sides, my hands fist into a white-knuckled grip, my nails digging into my skin. If not for my emotional turmoil, I would have probably felt the pain of it, for I have split the skin and drawn blood. It's weird. I do not know why, but despite my apprehension, I confess I am a little bit excited to see who has cared enough about me to chance being captured by Konoha's greatest enemy. And it doesn't matter that the war has ended. Spies and traitors will find no mercy anywhere, not here and not in Konoha. Which, naturally, begs the question… Would I ever be safe? _

"_Sayomi," the voice greets me softly, tenderly even. Kami, it has been so long since I've heard my name -my real name spoken out loud. I've almost deluded myself into thinking that Sayomi was truly dead, and that, in its place, Saori was left. _

_I am a fool. _

_I whirled around to face the mouth of the cave. I recognize the figure who has spoken even before he steps closer, long before the shadows in his face are chased away. His voice is… unique, you can say. After all this time, it still sounds painfully familiar. _

"_My heart youthfully sings at the opportunity to see your lovely radiance again." He says in that same tone. A tone that tells me he's not fooling around, like he had been known to do often enough. No. Even the wording he has used is his own. What can I say? He always had a way to be melodramatic, almost to the point of absurdity, prompting those who did not know him very well -even in the most serious of situations—to not take him seriously._

_And yet, even though I know this, it still comes as a surprise -a refreshing one at that. For I know now that, if I want to, I can go back to my old life and fit right in, as if I had never left. Following that train of thought, I wonder if the rest of my acquaintances have changed. Or if, like him, they'd stayed frozen in time, personality unchanged. _

_But it has been nine years! Nine years since I had last seen him and the Hokage and Konoha. Almost ten. And yet, this man looks exactly the same as I remember. I take him in. His bowl-cut black hair; his horrid green spandex he is still, apparently, so fond of; his dark eyes with those thick bushy eyebrows framing them and his smile. Maito Gai's smile could light up any place, even this old, dark, murky cave. _

_I am a fool._

_Never before has his presence terrified me so much, for I know that –from all of those the Hokage could have sent- he would be the last to welcome my betrayal. If I'd ever had a friend back in Konoha, I guess the Green Beast would have been it. _

_I had been, you have to understand, a loner by nature. It hadn't been hard, what with being constantly sent on one mission after the other. Plus, because of what I did, because of what my skills were used for, it was natural that I would be someone who few trusted, even among my allies. Gai, however, had always looked past that part of me. I realize, as I stare at his open smile, that deep within, even after all I've been through, I fear to disappoint him. _

_But just as that thought pops unwelcomed into my head, Ryuu's smile sinks it. That is all it takes. A smile from each side is what it takes to remind me of the best of both places. But there isn't even that much of a battle. My decision had been made before I'd stepped inside. My decision had been made, possibly, before I had stepped into this very cave nine years ago. It wasn't Konoha who deserted me. It was me who left first. _

_I realize suddenly that, while I had been struggling to sort out my feelings, Gai had been talking. He is so very near, at arm's reach really. So I put my hand on his chest and I am, for a second, distracted as I feel his heart drumming fast enough to almost jump out and surrender to my palm. I had not expected this, even though I understand it. I had always ignored that voice inside my head that insisted Gai did not like me just as a friend. I was not about to start listening now. What for? It just wouldn't do to face something that would only bring him more pain. Despite everything, I think… I think I want to protect whatever is left of our friendship. _

_I am a fool. _

"_Gai." My voice comes out firm but soft and I am not sure if it was my tone or my touch what tied his tongue. I look up, into his dark, expectant eyes. I am going to break his heart, I know. No amount of pretending would avoid that. But I rather break one heart than three. My family –my new family comes first. With resolve, I tell him what I think he has been fearing, "I'm not coming back." _

_The pause that follows is long and heavy and…awkward. His gaze doesn't leave my own and, though I have the urge to look away, I dare not. I have to stand my ground if I am to walk away with my head held high._

"_I know about your daughter," he says it with a tone that makes me shiver and straightens my spine. It is frigid. I've never heard him speak like this before. Not to me, at least._

_My maternal instincts scream in alert. I glare daggers at him, letting him know that she is off limits, "Then you know I cannot leave. I am sorry you had to waste your time."_

_Gai opens his arms, his voice does not threaten anymore. Instead, it begs, "Sayomi, do not be a fool! I understand why you did it. We left you and you were lonely and you sought comfort. Any youthful soul would do as you have done, especially when you'd just reached your time to blossom! But, worry not, beautiful flower. I am sure that your youthful daughter will be welcome in Konoha, I give you my word on that!"_

_My daughter but not her dad, I do not fail to notice that he has left Ryuu out of his offer. Purposely, I'm sure. "My daughter belongs here," I say, unmoved. For Gai speaks of what he doesn't know. He thinks that it would all be good and peachy. But I know better. I know what it is like to not be trusted. Tenten is from the Earth, and those of the Leaf and Fire would not welcome her, anymore than they would me. _

"_She doesn't have to!" He argues fiercely. "She is still your beautiful daughter. She has youthful Fire in her veins, she is from the Leaf!" _

_I shook my head. "She is silver, Gai, and she should be with the people of silver -with her people." He opens his mouth to argue further, but I will not be convinced. What I speak next, I speak from the heart, "Sayomi is dead, Gai. She died nine years ago in this cave. The only one that came out is me, Saori, wife of Tetsua Ryuu, Mother of Tetsua Tenten."_

_I do not say I am Earth, for I am not. I am in disguise. I will always wear it, as long as my family lives, possibly even after. But I am no longer Leaf and Fire either. I shed those a long time ago. I wouldn't know how to be one even if I tried, I am afraid._

"_Don't… please, Sayomi, don't say that. Please…" His voice trembles and something inside me wretches a little at the sound. How queer that the sadness in your voice touches me so, Gai. How strange that your eyes fill with tears. Can you not see? You asked me not to be a fool. But I am a fool. Only fools fall in love. Isn't that what I'd always said? Isn't that what I had been taught from the moment I learned to think?_

"_I'm sorry, Gai." I mean it. I truly do._

"_Please, come back." The smile is long gone and so is the hope he'd harbored. Had he waited all this time for me? I cannot help but wonder and pray that he had not, even when I know that he has. Why else would he have come? Why else would it hurt him so to find Sayomi gone? "Sayomi, please. Just take my hand." He offers it to me, palm up, glove-less. I can see the calluses on his harden skin, evidence of the commitment to his job. Once upon a time, I had shared that commitment, if not his passion. His passion I have come to know just now, with Ryuu and Tenten and the Tetsua Clan._

_I do not take his hand and I see the skin around his eyes tightening a bit. "I am sorry, Gai-."_

"_Take my hand."_

"_that you had to come-"_

"_Sayomi, please, just take my hand!"_

"_all this way for someone—" _

"_Please…"_

"_who is no longer here." I finish, steeling myself against the tears that run down his cheeks, bearing silent testament to his pain. I can almost hear his heart breaking into little pieces. My heart was melted, but it seems that I can still pretend to be heartless when I need to._

_Oh, Gai, if only you had found what I have. If only it had been someone else who was sent! If only I could spare you the pain. If only you had forgotten me… _

_Like me, you too are a fool._

_He drops his arm; it hangs limply by his side. He is no longer crying as he stares at me, as if waiting for me to change my mind. I do look away this time. It is the only confirmation I can give him. I close my eyes when I hear him heave a long, tired sigh. He turns to face away and I almost missed his soft goodbye. It tears my heart to see him walk away, even when it was me who chased him off. _

"_Good bye, Green Beast of Konoha." I return lower still, not daring to finish out loud with what he deserves. Goodbye, my dearest friend. _

_Forgive me, Gai. I am a fool._

_As soon as he's gone, I follow. I do not want to be caught here and raise suspicions. Of course, as I mentioned before, I was never one to enjoy good luck. And so it is that as I pull myself out of the water, I find Gai engaged in a fierce fight with some men. Men that I know. Men that I may not be friends with, but whom I've seen around. _

_I curse as the insignias on their back prove what I already fear. These are warriors from the Oschiro Clan. There are three of them currently barring Gai's retreat. They haven't seen me, and for a split second, I wonder if I should just leave. Gai has earned the title of Green Beast for a reason. Yet, I hesitate because something inside me comes awake. It is… I guess indignation at having one of my friends attacked for no apparent reason. Never mind that he does not belong here in the first place. _

_Without thinking, I pull out two kunais, one on each hand, and jump into the fray. I go for the one who has his back to me. Cowardly? Not really, I am a shinobi. This is the best way to fight. With all my might, I plunge the knife not through his heart but into his neck. Even as I feel his life leaving while I vainly try to dislodge the blade, I tell myself that I am being merciful. Yes, I wanted it to be a clean, fast death. _

_Did that alleviate my guilt? Not much, but some. Anything positive would be welcomed at this point…_

_The man's death attracts the attention of everyone and, without losing a stride, I order Gai to leave, to run, to hide. He doesn't seem to want to at first but… maybe it is my glare or maybe it is the fact that I have betrayed him… or maybe it is just the pain. Whatever the reason, he does leave. He leaves me to fend the rest of the Oschiros by myself. _

_I cannot help it, but part of me hates him for it._

_Still, I bar the way with my body so that the warriors, who seem reluctant to lay a hand on me, are unable to follow. I know that I would not be able to last for very long, but I hope that it is enough to give him a chance. Of course, now that he is gone, the consequences of what I have done crash into my head, threatening to send me to my knees and beg forgiveness. Kami, what have I done? _

_Fate. You are as inescapable as you are cruel. _

"_My, my, look what the beast dragged out," I hear a voice that chills me to the marrow of my bones. I gulp and curse as Nobu steps out of where I assume he's been hiding, watching the show. I see the hate in his eyes and the amusement and, even, the lust. He has never forgiven me for choosing Ryuu over him, and I doubt that neither his twisted affection nor the fact that I belong to the Tetsua Clan will hold his hand._

_I do not say anything. What is there to say? I have been caught red handed, both figuratively and literally. I have an unusual urge to clean the blood of off my hand, but I don't. I have one kunai, the other still embedded on a young man's neck. I try not to look at the corpse. I do not wish to further recognize what I have done. _

_I am a fool. _

_And because I am a fool, I open my hand and let go of my only weapon. Yes, I am a fool to give myself to this serpent. But what else am I to do? Do not get me wrong, I do not particularly fear for my life, it is my daughter's life that I want spared. Hers and Ryuu's heart, I also want to protect that._

_Kami! Will he forgive me? Will Ryuu look at me with this same repugnance that glints in Nobu's eyes? I tremble at the thought, which makes the man before me smile._

_It angers me to see his triumph. It angers me to see him standing before me, sizing me up as though I belong to him now. So, I raise my head, the arrogance of the Black Widow returning to make a stand. How ironic, isn't it? The moment I speak out loud that my Konoha persona is dead, is the moment I bring her back from her dark tomb._

_Nobu rushes at me like a bull crazed by the smell of blood. I see him raise his hand and fight the urge to defend myself. I killed one of his men. A life for a life, isn't that the motto of revenge? His hand connects with my jaw and I hear something crack. Sprawled on my back I fight to keep conscious as he lands blow after blow on my body, his kicks cracking and ripping and hurting. _

_I am a fool._

_I should not have gone to the store yesterday. I should not have stepped into this mess. I should not have brought the Black Widow back. _

_But fate hates me, and, you know what? I hate fate too. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **asked for this. She'd pretty much begged for it. In fact, she vividly recalled recurring to low blows and crude tactics to get it, to force it to be done to her. She hadn't given him much of a choice, really. Uchiha Sasuke had only been able to take so much before he'd cave. With anger and concern swirling in his eyes, he'd used his Mangekyō sharingan.

The experience had been…peculiar. Not quite painful but not a stroll in a park either. It was mildly disturbing, like having some invisible weight keeping her body from moving and forcing her eyes to close. Sasuke had been true to his word and had trapped her inside a spiritual world of darkness that resided within her own mind.

Tenten had mentally prepared herself as much she could –with the time given- for a lot of things, but nothing could have prepared her for _this_. Heck, she hadn't even thought this would be a possibility to begin with!

There was nothing!

Tenten was currently floating aimlessly in an ocean of inky darkness with nothing to give her any sense of direction or to even remind her of her own existence. She was so perplexed that, for a second, she regretted asking for this. Doubts started assailing her mind, weakening her resolve. Perhaps she should have listened to Sasuke's admonition? Perhaps she should have just come out and asked someone about her past? Perhaps she should have begged someone else to help her, someone like Tsunade!

But Tenten was reckless and stupid and so she found herself trapped in a world of her own devising. Perfect. This was just _perfect_. Her mood soured and she glared at the darkness, as though it was all its fault. But the darkness didn't answer or get offended, instead it ignored her. Or so a voice inside Tenten's mind mocked. She hated that voice, mostly because it was a constant reminder of her inadequacy.

Sighing in frustration, she waited. She was thankful when the dark voice finally decided to give its assault a rest. Like with her direction, Tenten also had no sense of time. Though, to be frank, this at least she had anticipated. Inside this illusion, time was an abstract concept. Sasuke had even been kind enough to remind her of it just before she lost herself within his blood red eyes. Tenten admitted to herself that even if the concept of time were to work here, there would still be nothing to help her measure its flow.

No. There was nothing aside from that damn darkness that seem to seep inside her, dulling even the color of her skin into a sickly gray. It permeated everything, even her own thoughts. It was all consuming and ever present. It was her only companion for what felt like ages.

Tenten hated this. She wished she could somehow get rid of this void of complete and utter darkness that had, at some point, form a cocoon of dark feelings and bleak hopes. She felt her lungs tighten as the concept sunk into her reluctant mind. She was trapped and alone and hopelessness surged, making her tremble. Kami, she was having trouble breathing! She felt as though the walls of darkness were pressing up on her even when she was well aware that she was floating in the open, with nothing solid save her own damn body.

Tenten had never been one to appreciate darkness for long periods of times, and this was not helping in conquering the fear that darkness could swallow a person whole! Was it ironic that shadows where preferred by ninjas and she was a very good ninja? Yes. Yes, it was. But she'd always been able to work around that. What with having her teammates almost always nearby, it made it easier for her to accept the darkness and work _despite_ it. But she was alone now. No one here to distract her of the fact that darkness was cold and morbid and perfect to hide the evil that wanted to get her, to slide inside her, to posses her.

For a frantic moment she twisted around, trying to see something within the darkness. Anxious, she started to ask Sasuke to stop, to bring her out. His warning mocked her from the past. Once she came in, he would have no way to control anything that happened in her world. If she was to prevail and return to her screwed up reality, she would have to do it on her own. No one would or _could_ help her this time.

The startling realization came as a surprise that shouldn't have. She berated herself for it. Most of her life she'd done things on her own, hadn't she? Yes. She needed no one. Never had. Never will. Not even her mother when she was around. No. Tenten could take care of herself. This time was no exception.

Despite her fierce beliefs, here she was, floating around in the vast nothingness of her mind with absolutely no idea as to what to do next. It was upon pondering the magnitude of her predicament, that she decided she didn't want to go down without at least trying _something_ out. She'd always taken pride in her adaptations skills, and she hoped that this would prove no different. If she was inside her mind, where not even Sasuke could enter, then shouldn't she be able to control whatever happened next, even if only marginally?

Perhaps she could excavate the bind herself. Perhaps she could shake it and free some of the things it had locked. Anything at all would be welcomed at this point. Anything was, after all, better than nothing, was it not?

_Anything to get rid of the damn darkness…_

Resolution rekindled, she focused on the memories that had rushed her when confronted by Nobu, the Serpent of the Oschiro Clan. She brought them forward, one by one. She even called upon the dreams that were not dreams.

For a second nothing happened, except that she'd been successful in birthing a sense of longing and abandonment, which were accompanied by sporadic glimpses of the memories she'd managed to recover on her own. Again, she had no sense of time, but it felt awfully long. She was drowning in the darkness and the complete isolation she'd landed on. Irritated by her lack of success, she cursed and screamed and cursed some more, hating that even that pitiful sound came out in whispers.

_Damn it!_ Even her own mind was ignoring her now! She should not have asked for this! She should have used her brain! What was she to do now? What about the man? What will happen to the man with the hazel eye if she were to stay here, forever trapped? Her hope plummeted, encouraging panic to almost show its ugly face, when she was suddenly dropped onto solid ground. Sweet relief flooded her entire being and she rubbed the ground with both hands, latching onto it as though it was a lifeline. It was still dark, but at least there was something real to keep her company.

The ground started shaking silently and she braced herself, thinking that with her luck, it would open up and consume her. Her fears were baseless. Instead, she jumped to her feet when the darkness lifted to reveal something else. She couldn't help gawking when her surroundings materialized from thin air. It was like watching dust or sand creating things, first the ground –rocky and familiar- then the sky and the sun and lastly the buildings. They came up majestically before her very eyes, like a magic trick design to impress an audience. The audience, she admitted reluctantly, felt very impressed.

The ground stopped shaking when the environment was completed. Tenten whispered her thanks to Kami-sama for being spared from spending more time within the darkness. It somehow always had a way to stir the worst inside her.

Shaking her head, she regarded the newly constructed village. From her vantage point, up on a hill, it looked small and unassuming. Yet, she felt a visceral attraction towards it, like one magnet to another. Afraid that if she over thought her next actions, the little place would vanish as swiftly as it had come, she made her way towards it.

She walked around the small village, studying it avidly. She almost jumped out of her skin, though, when she encountered the first of many ghosts. They didn't look solid. Instead, they looked like imprints of people, most of them too blurry to make out the details of their faces, as they walked to and fro, paying her no mind. On a whim, she reached out to touch a little boy that was racing by. Her hand passed right through his ethereal figure, feeling not the cool sensation she'd expected, but warmth so gentle that it prompted a tear to roll down her cheek. The sense of loss she'd been feeling increased the more she saw, even if she didn't quite comprehend why it had originated.

As if in answer to her unvoiced questions, Tenten heard a familiar voice calling to her. She straightened to attention, her senses sharpened and, in a trance, she followed the trail left by the commanding sound.

She soon found its owner. Unlike the ghosts around town, this woman had sufficient detail to allow Tenten to make out the rough beauty in her features and the elegance in her posture. She looked much more solid too, maybe as much as Tenten herself. The woman was old, her hair already streaked with grey locks here and there. She was standing outside a building, still urging her to come along with a caring smile that froze her and make her eyes sting most uncomfortably. Tenten felt something gripping her heart at the sight of her. Kami, she knew who she was!

She was important!

She moved towards her at a sprint, part of her still waiting for the image to vanish in a poof, like all those memories she'd been the star of. But she didn't, and when she was near enough to touch her, Tenten slid to a stop, breathing heavily despite the short distance.

"Grandmama," she whispered, finding her just as tall as she'd remembered, and just as mesmerizing. The thought made her blink because, somehow, she did remember. The older woman's smile widened and, when she placed a wrinkled, callous hand over her cheek, Tenten realized that she could feel her -her touch, her warmth… her _love_.

For what felt like years Tenten followed this woman down memory lane. Kami, she'd truly been such an important and intricate part of her life! It was almost as amazing to have forgotten her as it was to have remembered her!

Seven years, almost eight.

She'd lost seven years of her life to a decision she had not been part of, and though she'd wished she could recover all that time, every little detail of it, she couldn't. All she could savage was what had been stored inside her mind. For it was unlikely –maybe even impossible for anyone to hold onto seven whole years worth of memories and Tenten was no exception. But something was better than nothing, and thus she was grateful to re-experience those moments –few at they might seem right now.

Unfortunately, not all her memories were vivid in their details. Some were vague and abstract but strong enough to understand the picture they represented by what she _felt_ towards them. It was sometimes easier for the minds to retain a feeling as oppose to an image, and that was what many of those were, feelings held close to her heart.

She knew, for instance, that for a time her dad hadn't been around and that, in his stead, her uncle Yaemon had been the one to play with her. Though she didn't remember each and every day spent with him, she was positive that he'd been good to her; she was resolute in her feeling of utmost devotion and love towards him. She remembered his smiles and the sound of his laughter, not in any particular setting, but as if her mind had taken recordings of them or photographs and had placed them in a vault for her to open whenever it pleased her.

She also remembered, this with a powerful prang of loss, what had been her home. Contrary to what she'd believed, she hadn't always lived in a house of silence. No. She'd lived in a house surrounded by others, were the symphony of silver had played throughout their compound from dusk till dawn. She remembered the beautiful sound of steel meeting steel. She remembered sitting under the shadow of a tree to watch the multiple mock battles which her eyes regarded as beautifully rehearsed dances. They were as mesmerizing as they was deadly, and she'd been in the heart of it, learning the steps even before she'd been given her first blade.

She remembered other things as well. It was the little things, those that were banal in retrospect, that she was the most confound but surprised about. She discovered, for example, that she'd already given her first kiss. How silly a thought, and yet, there it was, a hidden memory with enough detail to prompt a smile to split her face in half. Kami! It had been to a boy from another Clan. He was shy and followed her around all the time. She'd wanted to make him blush and, to do so, she'd pecked him on a chubby cheek. The boy had been unable to stop grinning the entire day, much to her amusement. Her dad had not been very pleased when he heard the rumor and Tenten, ignorant of his paternal jealousy, had not understood his scowl.

Another event that had left a big impression had been in regards to her hairdo. Tenten had always assumed that she wore her hair up in twin buns because her mom had always done it like that for her. If anything, she'd never had the inclination to ask about it. She didn't know why that was. It could have been that she'd been afraid that the answer would be a simple one with nothing to make it special. And that would have been terrible, because some days –she was embarrassed to admit this even to herself—she'd liked to pretend that she did it for a secret tradition upheld by the ghost of her ancestors on her father's side. Now, though, she knew that it was something special within its normality. Though she remembered this as bits and pieces, she knew that it all started with a story.

Her Grandmama loved to tell her stories of great warriors and beasts that fought evil across all the lands. One time, she'd come up with a story of a ninja fighting to keep a group of friendly pandas safe. The pandas had joined in to help him and, by the end, one of the pandas –the first who'd befriended the ninja—had died defending him. Tenten had cried until her eyes were so puffy, she couldn't keep them open. Regardless of the sad ending, she had loved the story so much that, in honor of that unusual warrior, she'd taken to asking her grandma to put her hair up in buns. And that was it. No tradition, no great purpose, no sense of style –or lack thereof. It was just the way a little girl had dealt with the sense of loss towards a fictional character. It was a silly thing and yet it had also become a secret between her Grandmama and herself, a way to tie them together into an even more sacred bond that just blood and lineage. That was what had made it special enough to keep the hair like that from then onwards, much to her parent's insatiable curiosity.

But of course, there was another side to the coin. So those beautiful, peaceful memories were sometimes followed by crueler ones. Like when she'd first broken her arm during training. The echo of that pain had even caused her to rub at it unconsciously. Or when she'd first tasted the bitterness of defeat at the hands of her uncle -who, having acknowledged that she was old enough for him to take seriously- had sent her sprawling to the ground none too gently. Even the fights she remembered. Like any and every family, she'd had verbal exchanges with her mom and her dad and uncle, although never with her Grandmama. She hadn't had the heart.

The worst, though, had been the day where she'd seen her mom on the ground, broken and bruised by the Oschiro Clan. She remembered her anger and pain and, most of all, her fright. That someone would dare lay a finger on her mom had been an offense not just towards her, but towards the entire Clan! Worst still was what they'd declared loud enough for all the village to hear. Her mom was a traitor, a spy, they said! Lies! All lies! Tenten had never felt so ashamed at the thought of it being true.

Then came the fights among her clansmen. Everyone was on edge, including her dad. He was unusually quiet and Tenten was unnerved by his demeanor. For a while, he hadn't been able to stay in the same room and her mom and Tenten had believed the worst. She'd gone, crying and fore lone, to her uncle and had begged him to intervene. He had. He'd come and talk to her dad and afterwards, to her aggravated anxiousness, he'd locked himself with her recuperating mom inside their room for one entire day.

Tenten had made camp right outside, sleeping on the floor with a blanket and pillow. Her Grandmama would sometimes come and sit by her, without speaking, her simple presence reassuring. Then her dad had come out, tears on his eyes, and had announced what she had feared the most. Her mom was indeed a Konoha spy. Tenten couldn't believe it! How dare he said such things! Angry, she'd risen to her trembling feet with hate in her eyes and had demanded he take it back. Lies! They were all lies! But her dad had just looked at her and given her a quiet command as he proceeded to explain.

She started as a spy, but she'd betrayed her own people for them. She loved the Tetsua Clan enough to discard all other loyalties in order to become one of them. She was Tetsua, and because of that, they could not –_should_ not desert her in her time of need. There were arguments and uncertainties voiced by the oldest members of the Clan. Tenten didn't understand how they could be so cold towards her mom, the same person whom they'd always treated with the utmost respect.

By unanimous decision, there was a trial. It lasted more than three days. Tenten would sit outside the building where the long hearings –all of which addressed new uncertainties – were being held. She would wait for it to end, biting her nails until there was nothing left to chew on. It had been hard times for all the Clan, where the sound of steel had been replaced by heavy silence broken now and then by hushed whispers.

By the end of the third day, two strange men had slipped into the compound in the middle of the night. Tenten had been sleeping with her mom, when her dad came in and woke them. Tenten had been able to see the shadows of the two unknown men through the half-opened door. They didn't have to tell her what would happen. Part of her, somehow, already knew then that they were leaving for another place and taking the entire Clan with them.

The trial ended soon after, with the Clan coming to an almost unanimous decision –save the vote of one head of a minor family, Tetsua Kioji—to believe in the sincerity of her mother. Tenten had been ecstatic when her mom had stepped outside the room she'd been locked into with a smile on her face and tears on her eyes. Her dad had joined them soon after and Tenten had been even more glad to see that he still regarded her with the same love and devotion he had done before this mess.

It was later announced that the Clan was leaving. It didn't really matter how old she was, she was clever enough to admit that the Earth was not always on the right side. Yet, that didn't keep her hear from breaking a little. This was their home! The Leaf had fought them and they had fought her dad! It was weird for her, and she was sure, for some of her kinsmen as well, to just up and go and be friends with whom, for so very long, they'd regarded as their enemies. But fact was that, even if most of the people of the Earth were nice, the leaders that were currently running the country were corrupt to their core.

Surprisingly, the two strange men, whom she'd learned came as representative from Konoha, had built a strong enough case to convince the adults of her Clan to take Konoha's offer and migrate. Again, the decision had almost been unanimous, save for Kioji's vote.

For a week, preparations were made under utmost secrecy. Tenten did not know what or how to feel towards the new _temporal_ –she'd crossed her fingers tight- additions to her life. They were… weird. Even though there was palpable tension all around, one of them kept challenging the other to stupid tests. If anything, the odd exchange brought at least some smiles and laughs back to the otherwise solemn Clan.

The youngest of the two was quiet and mysterious while the other was open and boisterous. She'd learned their names, making it her job to keep an eye of them, else they got into trouble. The quiet one, she found out, was not so quiet after all, he was just laid-back and…well…collected. His name was Kakashi, also known as the copy ninja, though she didn't know why. The other man's name was Gai, also known –according to him—as the beautiful Green Beast of Konoha. She wondered at the _beautiful_ part.

Tenten didn't trust them, though. No matter how open and friendly they seemed. She even made it a point to treat them as coldly as she could muster, fighting not to smile at their bizarre antiques. Until her mom reassured her that they were friends and so, rather reluctantly at first, Tenten played nice with them. They ended up being not that bad after all…

The week soon drew to an end and the fated day came when they would leave. The Clan gathered in the center of the compound, all just bringing whatever they could carry on their backs and nothing else. It was a solemn meeting, as her Clansmen stared at each other and took their surroundings –their home—in one last glance before shuffling, quietly, to the exit. Everything seemed to go according to plan, until they'd opened the Compound gates, stepped outside and where suddenly met by hostile forces.

Someone had betrayed them!

Their escape was successfully thwarted by the Oschiro Clan and so a disappearance act that should have gone smooth, had turned into a fight for survival. It was a memory that nobody –not even the binding done by the third Hokage himself—had been unable to fully purge from Tenten's mind. Instead, it was left there as an echo that resonated each and every year, without a fault, in form of a nightmare.

The 10th of October. It was the anniversary of the day her life as Tetsua Tenten ended. What really happened, though, was far worse than what her nightmares had offered…

_It was chaos. Not even the deep darkness of the night could keep her from witnessing the bloody battle raging outside the compound. People shouted, steel sang, and all around the deadly dancers of silver tried to keep the waves of warriors from crushing them all. _

_Tenten was confused and scared and at a complete loss as to what to do next. How to proceed when they were so painfully outnumbered? _

"_We need to split into groups," her Dad yelled, quickly giving out orders to those nearby, who later went to impart them to the rest. In seconds the chaos was more or less contained. _

_Her dad grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side just as, all around her, the mass of warriors dispersed into smaller groups. Tenten looked back, trying to find her mom and uncle and Grandmamma. Through the movement and the screams and the grunts, she found at least the latter. Her Grandmamma was standing, unmoving and unfazed, before a group of menacing warriors that were attempting to get past her. _

"_Grandmama!" she yelled, prompting her dad to look back and witness what she had. With a curse she'd never heard come out of his lips before, they changed direction, moving back towards the compound they had just left. Still there was no sign of her mom and uncle, but Tenten barely took notice. All of her concern was focused on what was happening near the door. _

"_Mother, what are you doing!" her dad yelled angrily, signaling some of his nearby warriors to attack before the woman got overwhelmed. _

"_It's time, Ryuu," Mama Bear said solemnly, her eyes as commanding as her voice. "This is where my journey ends."_

"_Don't be foolish!" he argued determined to make her understand. But she only shook her head sadly._

"_I miss him so much," she told them both, her eyes welling with tears as she gazed back at the compound and the graveyard that lied therein. It was big. Most of the tombstones had only one date; the date of birth and death being shared by all those countless stillborns. At the center of the graveyard, lied the resting place of her Grandpapa. A man Tenten had gotten to know through tales alone. _

_There was a conversation next sustained in complete silence. Tenten felt left out, but was reluctant to interrupt. After a short while, her dad pulled at her hand, signaling that they would leave. Tenten couldn't believe he would just leave her Grandmama there, alone and outnumbered! She pulled back, looking at his face, confused by the pain in his orbs. It was as if he'd come to terms with the fact that his mother was dead already! _

"_Grandmama!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, fighting her father even as he forcibly pulled her back towards the predetermined rout to get away. She turned to her then and smiled. It was a glorious, gentle, beautiful smile. It made Tenten cry. "What about me?" her voice came out rough with the hurt she was feeling, it broke by the end._

_A single tear leaked out of her bright eyes as her Grandmama stared at her, and her only. Time seemed to stop and it was only them both in a world of chaos. _

"_I love you, my little panda girl," she reminded her, blowing a kiss in her direction and promising, "I will always be with you. Always, little one."_

_And then time resumed and her Grandmama was lost within the moving dark wave and she was running, trying to keep up with the wider strides of her father. They reached the forest and navigated through it expertly. Her father was dressed from head to foot in silver garments so that he looked like a beacon of hope. His grip on her little hand was strong enough to make her wince, but she dared not let go of him, afraid that if she did, he would get lost… just as her Grandmama and her uncle and her mom. _

_The sound of people in pursuit encouraged them to move faster and rendered her speechless. She wanted to ask so many things, but she was afraid that if she did, she would give their position away. When the clouds parted to let the moon shine upon them, Tenten noticed a house –dark and abandoned—just across their path. Her father guided them towards it and, once in, he turned around to close the door. _

"_Dad," she called in a small voice, her heart hammering inside her chest with the pain of having lost someone she cared about. She forced herself to not think on who else she might lose on this deadly night. She hated the fact that it was so dark…_

_Her father didn't say anything, instead he knelt before her –after quickly looking around for hidden enemies—and spoke with his eyes alone. He told her in a brief second that they would be alright, that he would keep her safe. Then he pushed her into a cabinet. He was about to say something, when the sound of a branch snapping distracted him. Tenten could feel the tension in his muscles building. With another look, he commanded her to stay and closed the door. _

_As soon as the door to her hiding place was shut, she fretted, holding to the kunai her dad had given her as though to let go would mean forfeiting her very life. A sliver of light in combination with the sound of shattering glass and broken wood, prompted her to place her eye on a hole just in time to witness three figures crashing inside. _

_What happened next was the silver dance. It was a dance rehearsed to perfection. Yet she knew it was not. This was not a dance. This was not perfection. This was death. Unwelcomed. Uncontrolled. Raw and primal. But through it all, as inconsistent as the thought was, it was also unequivocally beautiful. Still a dance, but a dance with death. Not perfect, but alluring. _

_Her dad made quick work of the three dark clad men who'd ambushed them. With swift movements, testament to his skill, he stood tall, unscratched, looking down on his sprawled enemies, who were drowning in pools of their own blood. _

_Tenten sighed with unbound relief. Though part of her hadn't had any doubt that he would come out victorious, another part had been scared out of her wits. She must have made a sound because her dad's eyes turned to gaze at her, their eyes meeting through the small hole. She wondered if he had somehow sensed her eyes upon him or if it was just luck that he'd detected her small window._

_A horrible sound of laugher suddenly resonated throughout the place. Tenten's back straightened and she felt goose bumps coat the skin of her arms and legs. She knew the laugh. She hated and feared it in equal amounts! The door to the cabin was thrown open with such force, that it broke off its hinges with a complaining groan._

_Slowly… So very slowly, her dad spun around to face the intruder. She wanted to cry, she wanted to go to him and ask him to run away. She wanted to protect him, to help him. And yet, she could not move. It was a mixture of that last order he had given, wherein he had told her to stay, and her own increasing fear what rooted her in place. _

_Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat when Nobu came marching through, his frame dwarfing her dad's. He was dressed all in black, which would have made it much harder for her to distinguishing him from the shadows if not for the moonlight filtering in through the broken window, door and ceiling. It didn't, however, make him seem less threatening or imposing._

_Nobu smiled and brought out his double headed axe. His lips parted in a vicious smile that served to extend a promise of pain. When her Dad remained silent, he started laughing at him mockingly. The sound –crazed and evil- chilled her to the bone. More so when she remembered how cruelly he had looked at her Mom after he'd dragged her through the village and towards her compound. Inside her flimsy shelter of wood and dust, she gasped in a tenuous whisper. _

"_You're more delusional than I thought, if you think you can beat me, Nobu," her dad growled. _

"_I will kill you and all of yours, Silver Dragon. And I will laugh all the way through it!" Nobu hissed. _

_For five tensing minutes they just stared at each other from across the pool of shadows and blood. They were still talking and threatening; only Tenten couldn't hear what they were saying anymore. All she could hear was the rush of her blood and the beat of her heart. And then, just when she thought she could take it no more, they lunged at each other at exactly the same time. _

_A symphony of clashes, parries, grunts, growls, steps and hisses filled the atmosphere. This time, her heart was drumming a mile per second when she noticed Nobu was connecting just as many blows on her dad as he was. Before long, much to her dismay, her dad let go of one of his twin blades when Nobu slashed at his arm. Blood came pouring out, soaking the silver sleeve and turning it dark. Abnormally, Nobu's arms stretched to twice its reach and he lashed, with the butt of his axe, towards her Dad's head. He, thankfully, managed to raise his other arm just in time to keep Nobu from crushing his skull. _

_There was a small standstill after this, each seething warrior trying to survey their own wounds and determine where they stood in this fated battle. Nobu finished his inspection first and, as if feeling her eyes upon him, he turned to gaze at where she hid, his eyes piercing her very soul. Cold sweat broke on Tenten's forehead as she was faced with the devil himself, his russet small eyes drinking her with so much malice, that she felt her entire body growing numb with fear. Just when the idea of getting out and away popped into her head, her dad stepped in to save her sanity. _

"_I'll gouge out your eyes if you dare look at her again," he warned, bringing his sword up into a powerful stand._

_Amused, Nobu shook his head and laughed his crazy laugh. "You can try, Dragon," he said, licking his lips as if savoring a meal._

_All of a sudden, with a quick motion, he produced out of his back an eight-tailed whip, all the tips ending in wicked spikes, and lashed at his opponent. It connected with his flank with baffling force, sending her dad flying out the broken door. Tenten put a hand to her mouth to keep from screaming, realizing that she was now alone with the dark devil…and utterly helpless._

_Kneeling inside the cabinet; arms around her legs and back pressed against old, chipped wood, she considered her options, which weren't many. Her breath hitched as she listened to the loud, impending steps outside. Eyes wide, heart drumming, arms trembling with the rush of adrenaline, she waited and waited… Then the door was pulled opened and she lashed out mindlessly, crazed by the decision to fight before fleeing. _

_It was her only chance, the only one and she took it without thinking. Time slowed and she tightened the grip on her kunai as she rushed towards the oak of a man that waited for her, lips parted in the same wicked smile he'd shown her when he had stood before the broken figure of her mom._

_A morbid voice inside her told her to look up into that same face now, harsh and sunburned. His mouth was still open, and the blade of her kunai had somehow landed on its corner. She screamed, anger overcoming fear for a moment, and pushed forward with the momentum gathered, throwing her entire weight behind that one attack. It was her only chance! Tenten felt more than saw the sharp blade cutting through the fragile skin of his cheek, carving a smile even more gruesome than the one he was known to always wear. _

_He stepped back, wailing in pain, his hand coming up to hide his face. Tenten's eyes gravitated towards a purple smudge. Anything to keep away from seeing what she'd done! The man stilled, his shoulders shaking, grunts barely muffled by his hands. She noticed then, in a surreal moment of calm, where time seemed to have frozen, that the smudge was really the tattoo that had earned him his nickname. Cobra. _

_The scaly reptile glared at her, fangs bared in a vicious bite. The serpent seemed to move towards her and she blinked, breaking the spell. With fright and, maybe, somehow, morbid fascination, she forced her eyes to look up, to see what she'd done. Rivers of blood dribbled out between his fingers, covering his skin with a crimson mask that had been torn out of hell. _

_The man's body turned in her general direction and, with newfound fear, she moved back only to hit her spine with the cabinet that had been her hiding place, hard. Her sight blurred with pain and something more and she felt fear, cold and unyielding, gripping every fiber of her being. Dark eyes peeped out between his tensed digits. She saw fire swirling in his orbs and, within it, rage. _

_Her eyes closed instinctively as his hand stretched towards her. His big, open palm slapped her on the side of the head ruthlessly, the sound resonating inside her head for a minute longer than it should. Her entire body was sent sprawling onto the cold floor, crashing against the surface in disorientation and pain. Every muscle screamed as fire exploded in her skull. _

_Terrified, she laid on the floor for what seemed an eternity, gasping for air as sobs shook her frame. Her fingers tightened on her blade, the only thing that seemed to give her some comfort –small as it might be. His voice rose out of nowhere. Kami! He was so near. So very near! _

_Her bladder failed her and, sprawled before the demon of a man, she peed herself. The smell was awful, the feeling even worse. It was dishonorable, yes, she knew. She should not have done it, part of her chided. But she couldn't help it! She couldn't bring herself to care. Kami! Kami! KAMI! She was going to die! Kami, she was going to die! She didn't want to die! She wanted to run, to leave, to hide! _

_Where was her father? Where was her mother? Where was her uncle? Where was her Grandmama? Did she not promise that she would never leave her? Had she been swallowed by the darkness that had attacked them never to be seen again?_

_Where was her Clan! Had they deserted them? Betrayed them after all? _

"_Why?" she asked between sobs, and then yelled it to him with all her might. She turned on her side and vomited and spat the foul taste out of her mouth. Her tears rolled down and she realized that, hard as she wanted, much as she needed, she could not move._

_Help me! Help me! The words were yelled inside her head, but outside it was only his grunts and anger and her helplessness and sobs. _

_The man moved closer and snarled at her a chain of obscenities that, in any other circumstance, would have made her blush. Slowly and with deliberate emphasis, he threatened to tear her body apart, limb by limb for what she'd done. And he would have done it, she was sure. Kami, she could already feel the pain! _

"_No! Please, no!" She wailed, trying to crawl away with little success, "Dad! Mom!" _

_But no one came, no one listened, except him. The cobra of the Oschiros listened and laughed and sneered at her. Tenten, defeated and appalled, closed her eyes tightly, wishing for it all to go away. Go away! Just, please, please, please, go away!_

_Then suddenly, as she felt his breath upon her, there was a loud sound and then the voice of someone. Someone she knew. Someone she'd called for. Someone she'd waited for._

"_Get the fuck away from my daughter, you bastard!" her mom yelled, anger twisting her face, and, with short sword on hand, she singlehandedly pushed the man, the monster away. _

_She was on her back, shaking, still sitting in a pool of her own pee. Her muscles were tensed and everything inside her screamed at her to get up and run! Her hand tightened around the hilt of her cherished kunai, the silver blade coated red as was part of her hand. But the weapon was heavy and she could not move it. She was petrified._

_In front of her, keeping the monster at bay, was the slim, raven-haired figure of her mother. Her pale body seemed to glow as she shielded her, her movements belying the fact that she'd been bedridden not that long ago. _

"_Traitor!" Nobu yelled, "I'm going to ride you until you beg me to kill you, like the animal you are!"_

"_You think yourself mighty enough to destroy me?" Her mother snorted, her eyes blazing with a fire Tenten had never seen before. "I used to eat men like you for lunch!" _

_They said more things, but Tenten's mind suddenly felt too sluggish, too tired, too preoccupied with dealing with everything that was happening to be able to process it. She wondered if she should stop. She wondered if she should shake her head and make it blank. Because what if the only way for her to move would be to stop thinking? But no! She couldn't! She mustn't! Her dad and her uncle both had always told her to always think! That it could, that it would one day save her life!_

_The day was now! _

_Nobu lashed at her mother with his long whip, wounding her arm and almost disarming her. Tenten felt tears stinging her eyes, blurring the image of the two figures that were locked in a battle she could not join. Kami, she was afraid and she couldn't move and she just wanted to go, to leave, to run! _

_Where was her dad? Where had he gone? Was he hurt? Was he… was he… dea- Her air pipe constricted and a wrecking sob was torn unmercifully out of her throat by the hands of despair. _

_Where was he? He was important! She refused to lose him like she had her Grandmama. Where was she? She'd promised she would not leave her! Where was she!_

_As though having sensed her anguish, he came with the power of a tempestuous storm. He rushed through the open door and he was not alone. Uncle Yeamon came soon after, with his good friend Riota on tow. Relief flooded her and with it came awe. Because taking a better look at her dad and uncle, she noticed something strange. They were silver. Literally. They were men not covered in silver, but of silver. Her dad's skin and clothes and even hair glinted with the metal, whereas only Yaemon's hands and neck and chest were silver. Still, when they moved, she could hear the slight grating sound of steel. _

"_Enough fooling around, Nobu," Her dad spat, rushing at him with enhanced speed, and crashing against him. He brought his hand up and a kunai materialized in it, forming with the steel of his armor, and he plunged it up to the hilt into Nobu's arm. _

_Her Mother took the moment given to approach Tenten, her brow marked with worry and stress. She knelt beside her and took her hand. "We have to go, Tenten," she said, her urgent voice laced with fear almost as palpable as hers. Her mom's eyes turned towards the two fighting figures. More warriors were rushing in, keeping Yaemon and Riota from helping her dad. _

_Upon noticing this, Tenten saw hesitation surfacing in her mom's grey eyes. But then her dad ordered them to leave and, in seconds, she was pulled to her feet and they were moving, escaping, running away! _

_They were gliding through the ocean of greens and brows again, shadows moving with them behind them, beside them, around them! Her mother cursed like she'd never heard her curse before, her eyes wide and somewhat crazed. _

"_Stay close to me!" She ordered, letting go of her hand to unsheathe her small sword. But Tenten didn't have to be told. Her free hand gripped her dark coat, fingers fisting around the smooth, soft, cold fabric as though it was a flimsy safety line that could be cut at anytime. "Damn it!" _

_As if heeded by her curse, more warriors of the Oshiro Clan jumped out of their hiding place. They were so many, that Tenten wondered where they'd been hiding all this time! Unbidden, she felt her eyes welling with tears again. Why could they not leave them alone! Why, if they wanted to leave the village peacefully, had it come to this! She hated this. This stupid war and its stupid death! _

_As the warriors were closing in on them with menacing smiles on their rough faces, the two Konoha warriors who had been staying with them appeared. Gai, somehow, had an aura of fire surrounding him and his movements were so fast that he became more than once a green and orange blur. _

_Following closely behind came the copy ninja, pulling lightning out of nowhere and frying the remaining men. Tenten's breath hitched when her gaze met with Gai's. His black eyes were lost under a white inner light that had taken residence in his sockets. She stepped closer to her mother, thinking perhaps that he'd been possessed by the darkness, like in the stories her Grandmama used to tell her, but her mother, in turn, relaxed._

"_It's okay, Tenten," she said, taking a hold of her hand. "They are here to help… everything will be alright."_

_Tenten nodded. Her mother knew them better than she did. It was going to be alright. She had said so and she'd never lied. Not even when she'd been asked if she had been a spy. _

"_Where's the rest of them? Where's the Silver Dragon?" Kakashi asked suddenly, reminding her of her dad and uncle and Riota left behind, fighting an enemy that outnumbered them. _

_Instinctively, she turned towards the direction where she knew her family had stayed only to see a huge, earth-shaking explosion breaking the cloak of darkness. Tongues of smoke and flames painted the sky red, right above –she knew! She just knew!- where they'd been not too long ago. _

_Tenten felt her Mother letting go of her hand and, though she knew she should be attempting to grab it again, she couldn't. There was no strength left inside her shaking frame. Something inside her broke -she didn't know what exactly, only that it had. Oh, Kami, it had! _

_Then, out of nowhere, someone screamed at the top of their lungs. It was loud and piercing and it screeched in her skull with such intensity that she placed her hands on her ears, trying to tune it out. But the miserable wail continued and she fell to her knees with tears streaming down her cheeks. And the screaming tore at her heart because she knew, she understood…_

_That the screech came from her own throat because her father… he was dead…_

**To be Continued…**

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**Story's notes:** Okay, so I'm not sure if some of your would have noticed this or not, but I'm still pointing it out. So when Tenten met Nobu and recalled some of what happened on the night the Tetsua escaped, she mentioned she didn't recognize who Kakashi and Gai were. But now in this one, she does. I am aware I did this and isn't a mistake. This change happened because now she has recovered the full memory.

**AN: **Please do not forget to **review** and let me know what you think so far. Also, sorry for the lack of Neji, this chapter just became too long, so I decided to leave his scene for next one. Hope you enjoyed!


	12. Surrendering Secrets

**Revised: **6/01/2012

**Typos pointed out by: **Just Lovely.

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** anniewanny2, DarkAnonymous324, Crestfallenfeline, Kenzinator, Just Lovely. _and _Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan.

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"_Every action has it's pleasures and it's price."_

_~Dan Millman (Peaceful Warrior)~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 12: "Surrendering Secrets"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_If he asks –no, when he asks, I know I will not be able to lie to him. _

_The door opens and Ryuu walks in. He stops near the entrance with tension running all across his back. His body language speaks of the agitation he is vainly trying to disguise under the pretence of anger. Tetsua Oishi, the doctor, just finished applying the bandages around my broken hands. Kami, it hurts to move a muscle, it hurts to even open my mouth to speak. Oschiro Nobu really did a good number on me. _

_Oishi takes the spare bandages and makes it a point to show them to me before he places them on the first drawer of the nightstand. He gives me a small smile. He's not as candid with me as he used to be. I can tell that it's a struggle for him to be kind when people outside –and some inside as well- are wondering if I've played them all. _

_If only there was a way I could bare my soul and have them see it! Then they would know! They would know I could never harm them. They would know that they are the only family I've ever known._

_Oishi opens his mouth. I can see a question balancing precariously on the tip of his tongue. But then he thinks better on it and graces me with a small smile instead. Even if unsaid, I know what he wants. He wishes to ask me if it's true. I have yet to defend myself from the Ochiros' claim, after all. _

_I keep silent and he turns away. He can't even bring himself to look me straight in the eye anymore. I guess that no answer from me is answer enough, isn't it? _

_He bends down to collect his things. I try to thank him for the kindness of not forcing an answer out of me. I am not ready to give it, not to him anyways. I also want to thank him for binding my wounds and healing me as best he could. But he is engrossed in his task and I doubt I have the energy to speak above a tenuous whisper. Even if I were to thank him, my voice would be lost in the noise he's making. _

_Absentmindedly, I wonder what I look like to him. I wonder if he can't face me because of my appearance. Wouldn't that be beautiful? If only I could delude myself into thinking that it isn't really me who he can't bring himself to look at. That what he truly cannot face is the deformed monster left after Nobu's onslaught. Not me. Not really me. _

_I do not need a mirror to picture what has been done to me. It is enough that I feel it. My face is so swollen that it's by a miracle I can keep one of my eyes slightly open to watch as the doctor walks away without a word in my direction. When he is passing my tensed husband, he whispers something and then proceeds to close the door behind him without waiting for an answer. _

_Oishi leaves silence in his wake. After a short moment, it is broken by the sound of crickets which tells me night has fallen. Alone with me, Ryuu eventually steps closer to my bedside. If I were to reach out, I would be able to hold his hand. But I don't, of course. This time it's not just because I can't but because I have a feeling that my touch would not be comforting tonight. _

_For a while, he doesn't speak. Instead, he just looks at me with those beautiful hazel eyes. I have learned to read him like a book. Every little twitch, every emphasis on a line of his face, every blink and jaw movement is a message. So I know that he is fighting with the part of himself that can likewise read me with ease. Because, even if purple and yellow and broken and swollen, I know he can read me too. _

"_Is it true?" he asks needlessly. His voice is hopeful, but in his face I see the hint of dread. I hate that I cannot spare him the pain that is to come. In wishing to betray Konoha, I ended up, somehow, betraying my new family as well. In wishing to keep from hurting Ryuu, I ended up destroying him anyways. _

_Fate hates me, you know? _

_Kami, I am a fool. I should not have killed that man. Yet, had I not, would I have felt less shame? If something had happened to Gai, the dearest of friends that remained from my past, would I have felt less sad? _

_I try to speak, but my throat is dry. He doesn't move to offer me the glass of water nearby, which I know I can't hold even if my life depended on it. I have a feeling that even if he wanted to be nice to me, he wouldn't be able. He's paralyzed and scared. I think part of him believes that if I don't speak the words, then it won't be true. _

_But I know better, and so does he. _

_I gulp the little saliva I'm able to make and try again. "Yes." The word comes out rough and harsh to my ears. I hate that I'm too weak –maybe also, too ashamed- to plead him to stay and listen._

_I am a fool. _

_I watch with an aching, breaking heart as his face falls. He schools his expression and turns a cold mask on me in an effort to shield himself from what I've confessed, from what I've done. But his pain is still there, visible to me who have come to know him best. The hope that had swirled in his eyes dissolves before my very eyes. For the longest time I have believed he was happiness' favorite child. Today, however, the child of cruel fate decided to taint his life._

_Forgive me, Ryuu, I am a fool. _

_Dejectedly, he spins around. I close my eyes, squeezing out salty tears. It stings. My eyes and heart and soul, they all sting as if I'd been thrown into an ocean of acid and left there to rot. I hear the door opening and his steps hitting the ground, leaving only an echo behind._

_I am a fool, but Ryuu is not. _

_So he does what he knows is right and leaves me to my hell, locking me in a dungeon where I'll know only despair. I cry harder as soon as he is gone, sobs wrecking my body, like little explosions in my chest. I know he has taken my heart, what I don't know is what he'll do with it. Would he use it as target practice? Or would he give me to the Oschiros to face my crimes? _

_I am a bloody fool. _

_I was born a ninja in every sense of the word, you know? I was trained since the minute I was able to speak and walk. I somehow managed to grown under the tutelage of a woman that was first and foremost a kunoichi, never a mother. She was the Black Widow before me._

_Do you know why a Black Widow is considered fearsome among other spiders?_

_It is not really because of its unusually large poisonous glands. No. A Black Widow is best known for its habit of eating the male after mating. As a Black Widow, I did just that. I used love as if it was my poison, and when the time came to reveal my betrayal, I killed those I had kissed and promised to love before. _

_I thought that once I became a Black Widow, I would be untouchable and unconquerable! Little did I know that I was another spider, a weaker one, wearing a formidable disguise. But it was a disguise, no less. _

_You know what the first lesson was my trainer was adamant I learn? _

_To die. _

_She taught me to die. I learned to die before I learned to kill. Those were my only two lessons, the ones that would win me my prize, my Black Widow disguise. To live I learned in a place I was sent to destroy, from a people I was taught to hate. Had I known what I do today, I would not have been able to plunge my knife into my mother's cold, frozen heart and steal her title and keep it for myself. _

_Yet now that I might actually face death, I realize that I know nothing of it. Yes, I was taught how to die… but I am a fool, remember? I do not think I learned a thing. For all I can of think right now, all I can hope, all for which I pray, is to be spared, to live for one more day… I am not ready to die. I do not wish to die… _

_Please, don't let me die. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **arrived at the apartment just as someone stepped out. He was surprised to discover that Gai's midnight visitor was none other than Hatake Kakashi. Neji knew the relationship between the two older men was rather twisted -never mind that it was Gai who tended to drag people into weird displays- and therefore this meeting might not be all that suspicions. Yet, he couldn't help feeling ill at ease. It wasn't because of his appearance at such an odd hour. Rather it was the look that Kakashi leveled on him what gave Neji pause.

Pale eyes filled with apprehension because it wasn't the common unconcern or amusement or even boredom that Neji detected in Kakashi's dark orb. It was, instead, dread mixed with profound tiredness. Neji fought to keep his face carefully blank, else panic decided to once again turn his brain into a useless mush.

Everything had an explanation. That was what Neji had always preached once he'd moved past the phase in his life where he believed fate was an unalterable force. Yet, the more he tried to come up with a proper explanation for why Kakashi looked as though he'd just been held under Itachi's Tsukuyomi, the more he worried. It was becoming harder to keep his stoic mask in place, especially considering all the other problems that had been shoved down his throat.

"Neji," Kakashi greeted _after_ closing the door behind him. The tension in his posture did not go unnoticed. It looked out of place in someone that could keep a laidback expression even when under attack by an Akatsuki group.

"Kakashi," Neji greeted, wondering where Maito Gai was. At this point in time, the man should have popped his head from behind the door, spluttering his nonsense about youthfulness and love and rainbows or who knew what else. The fact that there was not a peep from inside was rather troubling and did not help to alleviate the tension cracking in the air.

In the pause that followed, Neji felt himself coiling, readying for an attack of some kind that never came. Kakashi, still barring his way, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Neji's eyebrow rose slightly in silent query. There was no way a ninja of Kakashi's caliber would let slip such an obvious display of anxiety unless there was a specific motive for it. If so, then what was it? Whatever his body language was saying, Neji was not getting it.

Perhaps he didn't want to?

Neji's eyebrows knitted. He didn't like where this was going. Well, truth be told, he never relish the experience of coming to see Gai, but this was a different kind of beast. No. What Neji didn't like was the forthcoming _change_. It was quickly turning into a wave that was taking victims all around him, Kakashi and Tenten being only the first domino pieces to fall.

Neji was well aware that to fight change was a losing battle. It was an inevitable part of life, but he'd always strived to keep it out of his as best he could. Though he would never admit this –save maybe to Tenten —he wasn't any good at dealing with change. Testament of it was his increasing stress (at Tenten's coma, Gai's secrets, the Black Widow's confessions and Kakashi's solemnity) which was threatening to become unbearable any minute now.

Unless he did something!

But… what? What could he do against an enemy that he could not fight with byakugan or will alone?

If only they hadn't gone on that mission!

He wished, not for the first time, that he could turn back the wheels of time. Neji didn't want to deal with what was surely coming. What he wanted was to get rid of the overload of change that had sparked despite their failure. But sadly that was only a wish, and an impossible at that. Time had its own master and Neji wasn't it.

It was all change's fault! Neji didn't want it and he certainly didn't like it. Change was never kind to him and he was hoping that it would spare him this time. At least, he wanted the part that concerned Tenten to stay as intact as possible. It was another impossible wish, of course. Already what he'd learned of Tenten's past was a heavy burden on his shoulders. Neji realized, the moment he'd finished reading the Black Widow's journal, that it was _fear_ what had taken permanent residence in the pit of his stomach.

Yes. Hyuga Neji was terrified that once she knew her past, her relationship with him –whatever that might be, he hadn't yet figured it out—would be broken beyond repair. Was it selfish of him to have this be at the forefront of his mind? Of course! It shamed him, but there it was! He would be willing to beg to anyone and everyone to have Tenten remain _his_ Tenten after he gave her all the information.

Was that too much to ask? Was he a weakling for fearing he might lose this battle? Maybe it was, maybe he was! But Neji was only human and the human soul was not made to be alone. Neji's was no exception to the rule. He didn't want it to be either, not if Tenten would be there to fill the void.

Disgruntled, Neji cracked his knuckles absently. The fact that recently every situation seemed to be spiraling beyond his control was already enough to push him to the edge of his patience and tolerance. He didn't need any more problems and he had the irksome feeling that Kakashi could soon become one of them.

As if having read his thoughts, the older man finally spoke. "Neji, perhaps-," he stopped upon receiving the Hyuga's signature glare. It was all Neji could do to keep from pushing him out of his way. Kakashi sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "Go easy on him, okay? It might not seem to you this way at first, but this is hard on him too."

Hard on him!

What about Tenten? Was this not hard -_harder_ on her? Had Kakashi decided to forget her in order to deal with what they'd done to her! He wanted to yell at him this and more. To tell him not to speak of what he didn't know. But the thing was, Kakashi did know. He knew because he'd been there, at the heart of it all, right beside Gai as they'd _changed_ the fate of an entire Clan and not for the best. No. The damn change they'd brought had resulted in nothing but death and pain!

"Step out of my way, Kakashi," he advised. His hands fisted and his chest pushed against the book held in the folds of his clothes with every deep breath. "I have business to settle tonight and I won't leave until it's done."

Kakashi seemed to hesitate for a split second before, shoving his hands into his pockets, he proceeded to leave. No backward glance or anything to further ask for Neji's lacking tolerance. Neji wondered if he'd really fooled the man into believing he would actually go easy on his former mentor.

Heaving a long sigh, he gave two steps forward and found himself inches from the white, wooden door. His politeness prompted him to knock twice but his anger made him throw the door open before he could be invited in. Tonight he would not take no for an answer. Tonight he would not go easy on Gai, not when this had to do with Tenten.

"Neji!" Gai jumped to his feet when he saw him stepping into his living room. His astonishment confused Neji, for he was sure he'd made enough noise to wake the neighbors. His slacked jaw, however, swiftly molded to accommodate a wide smile. "Oh, I see that the flame of youth—"

"Gai," he interrupted, or attempted to.

Clearly unaware that Neji wasn't in the mood, the older man continued cheerfully, "has finally been kindled within your palpitating heart!"

"Listen to me," he tried again, frustration dripping off his voice.

"Come, youthful Neji! I will be—"

"This is important!"

"honored to start your training! We can run five hundred laps around-"

"Is it because of Sayomi?" That got his full attention. He zeroed on Neji like a hawk, his smile disappearing alongside two shades of color. The shoulders that had always been thrown back with pride, were now hunched forward unbefitting.

This was wrong…but it was also necessary, or at least that's what Neji told himself.

"What did you say?" Gai's tone was awfully calm, like one would whisper when attending a funeral, afraid that if someone dared to speak louder the dead would rise to shut them up.

This was the first time Neji failed to read his emotions. Even his eyes seemed darker than they'd ever been before and the shadows -cast around by the lack of proper lighting in the house- seemed to shift so that the mark of age became more evident in each and every line of his face.

She truly had been important to him. Even now, after all this time, Gai was unable to hide the pain of her passing. Perhaps he didn't want to? Perhaps, contrary to popular belief, Gai's heart was more fragile than anyone else's? Perhaps the man had never actually been able to move on, but had learned to live despite the constant ache brought about by Sayomi's absence?

Neji wondered if he would be as strong as him if Tenten were the one to walk out on him. He doubted it.

A little unsure, Neji shuffled towards the coffee table in the center of the dimly lit room. With one swift motion, he took the journal out and laid it, delicately and with reverence, atop the glass surface. Recognition surfaced on Gai's orbs and he crumbled into the seat he'd been quick to leave upon Neji's unannounced, probably now unwelcomed, arrival.

"You know, then?" Gai asked softly, tearing his eyes away from the book as thought it was a bloody corpse. Perhaps, in a way, it was… "Sayomi." Gai whispered not to him, but to a memory that wasn't fading. The tone was so heavy with longing and pain, that it made Neji feel as though he was intruding.

The Maito Gai before him was strange, not particularly in a good way but not in a horrible way either. For the longest time Neji had believed Gai's throat could not handle his voice if he did not yell. Now that he was proven wrong, he couldn't help but question the man's mortality. Were his smiles also capable of turning into grimaces? Was his loud, happy-go-round personality a façade intended to hide his obvious vulnerability? Were his usual tears of happiness meant to hide the pain of losing the woman who'd stolen his heart?

Neji raked a hand through his hair, digits so tensed that he scratched his skull with more force than he'd intended. It seemed to him that every time he decided to demand an explanation, he ended up stumbling upon an almost sacred confession.

He wondered if the information he required was worth forcing Gai to revisit pain that might not have diminished with time. But it was for Tenten, he told himself! And Neji would go to the gates of hell for her if that was what it took to make her happy.

"I've read it," Neji confided, brushing the cover of the journal with the tip of his fingers for emphasis. If he didn't know better, he would think the journal was sucking the life out of the room, intensifying the darkness that surrounded them. "I know what you've been hiding from Tenten."

Gai leaned on his knees and looked away, his mind lost in recollection for a short while. Studying his profile, Neji realized something else. Devoid of his bubbly energy and absent his stupid speeches and good-guy poses, Gai seemed very human and so very fragile. Worst still, was that he resembled the shell of something that Neji had always believed was untouchable and unbreakable. The Green Beast of Konoha, the hardest working guy –save maybe Lee—he'd ever known, looked defeated and forlorn. The picture was wrong! Change had just taken another victim and Neji had been the instrument in the fall of this domino.

But this was necessary, wasn't it?

He tried to convince himself of that, to brush the guilt rising within him by putting blame in the shoulders of someone else. They shouldn't have kept this from her! Tenten deserved to know, even if this brought her pain!

The anger that had made him snap at Kakashi left him in a rush at the thought of Tenten _being_ in pain. It left in its wake only the ugly fear to wrestle with. Neji didn't like this. He wasn't used to dealing with such a sentiment. His hands began to tremble uncontrollably and he weaved his fingers together, hoping to hide the chip in the armor of his resolve. But he doubted that Gai would have been able to tell. He was already lost inside his own memories, inside his own personal hell.

Neji had been willing to walk to its gates, but had Gai? Did Neji truly have the right to demand something of him that didn't directly concern him in the first place? Because who was he to decide what Tenten wanted or needed? Yearning to be some intricate part of her life didn't make it so!

Yet, he could not push aside his curiosity or ignore the disapproval he felt whenever he thought of Tenten being left in the dark, of her memories being rewritten without her consent. Had he not often seen her pain and her annoyance at being referred to as the girl without a last name? Was that not enough to infer that she would want to know this? To know who she was even if it ended up breaking who she became?

Hyuga Neji could only pray he would not regret forcing open this Pandora's box.

"I know what you've been hiding from Tenten, Gai," he repeated, softly, slowly. When Gai's gaze fixed on him, unreadable and dark, he asked what he'd come here to learn, knowing that there would be no turning back, "What I do not know… is _why_?"

A harsh, bitter laugh came out of Gai. It was a weird sound, most unnatural. It would have been something far more fitting to have come from someone like Sabaku no Gaara or even Uchiha Sasuke.

"I was afraid," he confided, leaning back on his chair, opening his arms as if to bare it all before letting them fall lifelessly.

"Afraid?" Neji echoed, confused. "Afraid of what?"

Gai smiled sadly and Neji had the unshakable sensation that he was disappointed. "Afraid she would lose herself," Gai explained cryptically, as though it was an obvious thing. "You see, I had planned on telling her everything, thinking that she was old enough to take the news, when Uchiha Sasuke was captured. Everyone was busy trying to get him back, but I knew all efforts were futile. He had betrayed Konoha, his friends –all of us."

"She is not the Uchiha," Neji felt the need to point out, his tone harsh. Having Tenten compared to the avenger rubbed him the wrong way.

Gai sad smiled did not break. Shaking his head he said, "Perhaps you are right, Neji." He shrugged and Neji could tell he didn't believe in the small compromise he'd given. "Yet truth remained that the boy became so engrossed by the thought -the _desire_ for revenge, that he lost himself and not even his own friends could help him for a long time."

Gai's eyes glazed with tears, but he did not shed them.

"I told myself the same thing you did. That she wasn't like him, that the circumstances were different. But the more I thought of breaking the bind in Tenten's mind, the more I feared that she would likewise be lost in her anger, consumed by her wish to avenge those that were her family and friends."

"You were right in your first assumption. She is not Sasuke," Neji insisted, his hands fisting. "She's stronger than him. Stronger than him by far. Your fear is baseless!"

Again that harsh laugh rolled past his lips. It almost made Neji flinch.

"You read the book, Neji, did you not? By now you know her life, her strength!" Gai's jaw locked with anger and regret. He cracked his fingers and fought the pain in order to continue. "I told her… Sayomi, I mean," he pointed out needlessly. But Neji had come to recognize that it was only her and her memory what could tame the bouncing Beast inside Gai and render him human.

"I led a man to her house who brought news of a Tetsua having been captured by the Oschiro Clan. I thought that maybe she would be grateful for the news, that maybe she would ask the Hokage to allow her to assemble a team to rescue him." He smiled bitterly at no one in particular. "Instead, she worked in secret and betrayed Konoha one more time! She put it all on the line for one _man_ and the chance to see him again and, if it wasn't him, then to avenge him!" His gaze jumped from where it had trailed to the window back to him. There was an intensity there that could have burnt down a forest.

"Tell me you did not read in her some of who Tenten is!" Gai demanded, pointing at the book, his limb shaking with his emotions. "Tell me you do not wonder –assure me you do not _fear_," he punctuated the word by punching the armrest of his chair, "what Tenten would do if she found out! Tell me you do not _dread_ to have her do to us what her mother did to me; to have her walk out alone, not trusting you to go with her, to help her…," tears streamed down his face, his voice rough with emotions, with yearning and hate and love. He spoke the last so soft, that had Neji not been waiting for his voice, he would have missed the words, "to _save_ her…" He hid his face in both his hands and muffled, the heart of his confession came out, "I couldn't _save_ her."

There was a pause in which Neji found himself digesting what he'd heard. He understood why Gai had been reluctant to tell Tenten. It wasn't that crazy for the man to see in the daughter a hint of the mother. Had not his uncle often told Neji how similar he was to his father?

Yet, Neji did not fully agree with all of what Gai had said. Thus he confessed what he really thought of the matter, what he knew in his heart to be absolute, "Tenten is Tenten. She is not a shadow of Sayomi."

Gai looked at him blankly and Neji allowed him some time to digest this, to accept the truth with which it rang. When Gai didn't argue the point, he added, "Tenten is strong and deserves our respect and our trust. I cannot speak for her, anymore than I can predict what she'll do. But," he paused, his voice gaining strength, "I trust her, Gai. And because of that trust, I cannot keep the truth from her."

Neji stood up, needing nothing else from this man. He'd outgrown him when it came to Tenten, and he would have wanted it no other way. "She deserves our trust more than anyone. Has she not always been there for us both, trusting us selflessly, blindly even?"

He retrieved the book and turned around, intent on leaving, when he heard Gai's soft words. "Perhaps you are right, Neji. But pray that history will not repeat itself and she ends up slipping between your fingers like smoke."

Neji shook his head, not willing to entertain such a thought. Over a shoulder, he persisted, "She is not her mom." Then softly, to himself, he added, "You are stronger than her, Tenten, are you not?"

Deep in his heart, he hoped he would never be proven wrong. He knew his heart would not take it if he was. Despite how much it hurt his ego to admit it, Neji was convinced that Gai was stronger than he was, by a long shot. Because if he had been on Gai's shoes, Hyuga Neji would not have been able to live without her, he would not have moved on. Instead, he would have followed her to the edge of the world and jumped after her if she had fallen.

That was how much Tenten meant to him; it was his silent vow of devotion; his silent promise of –he knew now what it was, that feeling in his heart. It was a promise of everlasting _love_.

**-o0o-**

**Tenten **opened her eyes but the light which had seemed dim to her when she'd first stepped into the Uchiha's small apartment, now glared at her. She closed her eyes and put a hand up to shield them.

Kami she was tired. She felt as though she'd relived an entire lifetime. In a way, she had. And though she'd been successful in recovering her memories, she didn't feel the glorious triumph she'd expected. Instead, dwelling in her heart, was bittersweet melancholy. It was absurd how her mind sometimes worked, but Tenten had figured that because whatever had happened to her had been so long ago, she would have been able to take it with perhaps a grunt or a moan but nothing else. She hadn't anticipated the tears or the rage or that damn, heavy pain!

How naive she'd been. She felt as though she'd just lost her Clan earlier today! She could still feel the fire in her throat from where she'd been screaming, calling for her dad. She could still feel the wetness in her cheeks from where she'd been crying her heart out. A blink ago she'd witnessed the demise of the Tetsua Clan.

It hurt.

"Tenten," Sasuke's voice was soft, coaxing her to come fully awake. She knew by his tone that he was worried –perhaps he was even waiting—for her to break into tiny pieces. She didn't want to do it. Not here. Not with him. Even if he was the one who would be able to empathize with her the most, he'd already suffered enough –she'd already _hurt_ him enough.

"I want to go home," she said, trying hard to keep her voice from trembling. Emotions were never her forte, so it was hard sometimes for her to hide them as well as she knew others could.

Kami, the pain was so strong! It almost felt as though a wave of kunais were exploding inside her with each beating of her heart. If it was possible to die from sadness and despair, she would never have woken.

Tenten bit her lower lip and did her best to brush her treacherous tears away before he saw them. He gave her some privacy by looking away, fixing his gaze on the unmoving shadows on the wall. But he knew. When their eyes had met, she had detected her own pain reflected in his eyes. Maybe it was wrong of her to think this, but she doubted that his pain was as intense as her.

Perhaps one day it had been, though? If so, could that mean that she too would learn to cope with it? That she would be able to turn it from a wall of fire into a small flame dancing at the edge of a wick?

"Tenten, I'm so-"

"Shut up!" She snapped, stopping him from giving an apology she did not deserve. How dared he try to put blame on his shoulders, as if she had not forced this upon them both! She hated herself now more than ever before. She hated to remember so many things, so many wonderful people, only to realize that they were gone. All gone.

_Except for him_, a voice inside her reminded, igniting in her aching heart the beginning of hope. Yes. He was still alive and she knew exactly where he was! She did not know how she would rescue him, but rescue him she would, even at the cost of her life!

"Tenten," Sasuke called, pain lacing the apology that hadn't left his voice.

_Damn you, Sasuke!_ Could he not blame her at least? Did he not understand that by being good to her he was only adding to her sense of guilt! How very selfish of her, but there it was. Yet that did not mean that she would not try to be better; that she would be as inconsiderate as to not acknowledge that what she did had been wrong.

Shifting slowly into a sitting position, she pulled her hands away from her face, offering herself to his scrutiny. She knew she was a mess. She knew her eyes were puffy and that half-moons framed her eyes. Because even if she'd been asleep, she had not rested at all. How could she? In a span of hours, she'd lived for seven years and experienced countless deaths. Rest seemed long in coming…

Reaching for his hand blindly, she held it in between both of hers. She couldn't look him in the eye. Not yet. So she caressed the back of his palm with sincere affection. She was a bit surprised to feel him trembling more than her and she wondered how bad it had been for him. For even if he hadn't seen anything, he had been forced to listen to her scream and cry and plainly suffer before his very eyes, knowing he could do nothing to comfort her. How ironic that the avenger who tossed his heart away, had grown a new one that was more tender than his first.

Would the same happen to Tenten if she decided to follow in his footsteps? If she did get rid of her heart, would that stop the pain too? Or would the pain be a constant thorn in her soul and the only thing she would be destroying would be the love she felt towards those who hadn't made it? Would it be worth it? To trade the possibility of numbness for the possibility of not remembering what they meant to her?

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," she finally admitted, squeezing his hand.

For a while there was silence before the man squeezed back and said, "I'll take you home. Come on."

With that he helped her to her feet. Tenten was not happy to realize that she could barely move. Tiredness was hugging her every muscle. She wondered if it was possible for her to have truly, physically, gone back in time and ran through that damn forest. But of course, it wasn't. This was only a trick of her mind, yet she couldn't fight it, she couldn't fix it. She had neither the energy nor the will. In fact all she wanted was to be left alone to cry and figuratively lick her open wounds.

She leaned on Sasuke, fully aware that he was probably carrying most of her weight, as they made their way down a familiar road that seemed so alien now. She'd traversed this road so many times before and yet she was looking at it with new eyes, eyes that belonged to a girl that had as much Earth in her veins as she had Fire.

When Sasuke stopped, she raised the eyes she'd fixed on the floor and gasped. Neji was standing there, across their path, looking at them completely at a loss. She saw so many different emotions flashing through his eyes, that she swayed on her feet with disorientation rather than weakness. Above all those emotions, always constant, was a sense of relief with a hint of concern.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I-"

"That's none of your business, Hyuga," Sasuke interrupted, and Tenten realized belatedly that Neji had indeed addressed her companion and not her. Not wanting to witness any more battles, even if this one wouldn't end in someone's death, she weakly pushed Sasuke away.

She gave two small steps forward, intent on positioning herself between them and physically separating them if needed be. But her damn limbs were uncooperative and her weight suddenly seemed too much for them to hold. She felt herself tilting sideway and tried to twist to cushion her fall with her arms. Except that her hands ended up finding soft fabric instead, and below it something warm and solid.

Two arms slid down to her waist. They were firm but gentle. She knew that if she were to slap them, they would release her. Except she wouldn't fight them, she couldn't. It was Neji who'd stepped in. It was Neji who was almost hugging her.

Her eyes filled with tears which she tried to blink away. But when he noticed them and gave her cheek a gentle caress, they flowed unopposed. How funny that it was a move for comfort what reminded her that her heart was breaking.

Her trembling hands fisted on the fabric of his shirt and she hid her face on the crook between his neck and shoulder. The powerful arms that had been on her waist, came around and tightened, securing her against him. She could hear his heart drumming rapidly, almost as fast as her own. She could smell that scent that was unique to him, grass and wood and something spicy. Most of all, she could feel the warmth of him, the comfort of his gesture, the… _relief_ of having him be there for her in her time of need.

"Please, just take me home," she implored. Her sobs raked through her chest, making her body shake as she was crushed by the enormity of what she'd learned.

Kami, they were gone!

Without a word, she found herself swept off of her feet. For the first time, being held like this in someone's arms did not make her feel strange or annoyed or inadequate. It made her feel safe. Like when her dad or uncle would do it after something bad had happened to her. Tenten didn't care anymore what anybody thought of her at the moment. All she wanted to do was to cry against that chest and let it all out.

Tonight she lost her Clan.

When they'd reached her apartment, he didn't wait for her to produce her key. Instead, he released her feet for a moment, pulled a vase out of the way to reveal her spare key, opened the door, and then carried her inside.

He moved, not upstairs to her bedroom, but instead sat on the long couch on her living room, placing her on his lap. He didn't ask anything nor did he demand an explanation, for which she was grateful. Especially because she knew that he wanted to know. But he was respecting her, allowing her to take her time.

His kindness only made her cry harder.

She pressed against him, his hands soothing part of her ache when they began rubbing her back and combing her hair. She settled down after some time, her tears finally drying. Her eyes drooped with sudden tiredness. It was amazing how much energy was used for something as stupid as crying.

"You are tired," he pointed out, carrying her upstairs and into her room. When he laid her on the bed, she refused to let him go. She was afraid that if she did, then the dam of her emotions would crumble again. And it was _precisely_ because he'd been there for her that she'd managed to construct it in the first place.

"Neji-."

"I'll stay," he finished, successfully understanding what she wanted. She was glad for it, for she wasn't sure if she would have been able to make the request.

He slipped off his head protector and even the bandages covering his curse, leaving his forehead naked to her scrutiny. Without a word, she scooted to the side to make room for him in the small bed. He lowered himself and Tenten was thankful that, once settled, he pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest, idly listening to the beating of his heart. She wondered if perhaps this had also helped to sooth her pain and anger. If not, it was helping now.

Her eyes closed and, when she at last managed to fully relax, she whispered, "Thank you."

Whatever he replied, Tenten was unable to catch before numbing darkness closed in on her and pulled her into a dreamless slumber.

**To be Continued…**


	13. Silent Preparation

**Author's notes: **Hello! I apologize for the late update, this chapter took a while but it was fun to write once I got into it. I hope you all enjoy it! Also, I've done two drawings for this fic, the links are provided at the end of the chapter or just go to my profile page and check them there. ~Enjoy!

**Revised:** 6/01/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** GoldenDragonClouds, anniewanny2, DarkAnonymous324, Crestfallenfeline, kenzinator, I Can Hear the Sea, Y so serious, Just Lovely., Picnic Bench, OtakuEntertainmentInc, U will live,_ and_ bk00.

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"_To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."_

_~Lewis B. Smedes~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 13: "Silent Preparation"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_I did it. I gambled it all in one bold move. I offered all my secrets with that one item, bearing my innermost thoughts to his and, if he wanted, his Clan's scrutiny. So now I'm left to wait. I'm still locked up in my room, the only thing that has changed is that there are two guards posted outside. My lips quirk in a sardonic smile as I reflect on what the guards' job truly entails. Have they been tasked with the objective to keep me from leaving and possibly hurting someone? Or are they here to stop someone from coming in and hurting me? _

_Ha! How amusing… isn't it? It should be funny, and yet my smile dissolves as soon as I focus on the window across the room. Steel bars have been place there, a constant reminder that my most precious place has been transformed into my prison. Is a golden cage less of a cage? I think it's actually a crueler one because I am able to see all that has slip between my fingers. _

_I sigh and brush at my hair, absentmindedly noticing how dry and knotted it is. I have been unconcerned with my appearance as of late. What good would looking nice do if there is no one to appreciate it anymore? Yes, the Black Widow has truly been lost. This is just further evidence of it. _

_I drag my eyes back to the entrance, digging holes into the closed door, as if by doing that I would be able to see –to recognize the guards. Does this Clan hate me now? Would some of its members –people that I have conversed with, that I have become friends with- be willing to plunge a knife into my heart to rid themselves of my treacherous presence? _

_I shift in my seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. A dry, curt laugh escapes me when the only thing I manage is to further increase the discomfort of my muscles. Kami, I hate this! My body has yet to fully heal despite how much I've rested it. Perhaps the soreness is due to my inability to move? It's not like someone has come by and offered support in helping me leave the bloody bed. Only twice a day does someone comes –a middle-aged woman known to the Clan but not a part of it—to help me bathe and relieve myself in the toilet. _

_It's pathetic, really. _

_I'm pathetic._

_How embarrassing for someone as proud as I to have to rely on someone else to do such tasks. I said before that I was unashamed of my body since I had been taught to regard it as a tool, correct? Well, after being with Ryuu and his family, after having Tenten… I have changed and, because of that, it is embarrassing for me to show my naked body to anyone but him. Only to the man that took my heart and woke me from my sleep am I comfortable with showing my vulnerability in body as well as in soul._

_But he barely comes. _

_It was by my own insistent request –and I suppose Yaemon and Tenten might have had something to do with it as well—that he finally gave me the opportunity to provide my mission journal. My betrayal of Konoha could not have been proved in any other significant way. It is the highest of crimes to give the enemy information that should belong to the Leaf and I have done just that. _

_A tear rolls down my cheek and as I brush it aside, a more positive observation comes to mind. At the very least my eye is not swollen anymore and neither is my jaw. It is a small victory against the pain caused by the Oschiros, but at the moment I'm happy to take whatever is given. I close my eyes and exhale, making the long bangs that are falling across my face flutter. When was the last time I cut my hair? _

_In the silence that follows, I wonder for the hundredth time if that one item will be enough for him to believe in my transformation. The creaking of wood outside interrupts my thoughts. It tells me that someone is approaching. My back straightens and I find myself waiting with barely contained nervousness for whatever is going to happen next. _

_I need change! I yearn for it with all my heart! I don't care anymore whether the change would be advantageous for me or if it will sign my demise. I can't stand being stuck in no-man's land! I don't want to wonder about what will happen, or ponder the 'what-ifs'. I want to know and be done with this! _

_My heartbeat is racing and the irony of how I have been rendered so vulnerable by the same feeling that I'd used as the mightiest of weapons in my arsenal does not elude me. Love is a dangerous thing. I've always known it was a double bladed sword, I just never expected to cut myself with it. _

_My brow knits with uncertainty when I hear the footsteps stopping just outside. Normally whoever was visiting would come right in without speaking to the guards. I spare a glance at the clock. I was right in my first assumption. Since it's barely four o'clock it means that the person coming is not the woman that is sent to take care of my regular and unavoidable needs. _

_With piqued interest, I pay closer attention and detect the sound of a one-sided conversation. Yet, no matter how much I concentrate, I cannot make out enough words to get the gist of it. After a while, I hear my guards moving down the hall. I know it's them that are leaving because they their footsteps are heavier in comparison to the ones from before. _

_The door opens and I hold my breath. Why? I have no idea, but I do._

_I'm speechless when he finally comes inside and I recognize him as the only one who can make me tremble like a child. It is something very sad that my relationship with Ryuu has been so stained so as to make me forget how to even speak. He closes the door behind him and I silently curse the dimness of the room that keeps me from being able to interpret his expression._

_Did the words in my journal made him mad? Or did they, perhaps, made him understand who I was and who I've become, which is what I had intended? _

_My heart does a somersault in my chest. There! I can sense it! It has come! Something is finally changing! Unlike with the past visits, he comes deeper into the room, towards the spot where I have been confined by my weakened state. My hands fist on the covers pooling at my lap, it is all I can do to keep from reaching out to him. I want to touch him so bad! I know that I am making my unease readable with my body language, but I can't help it. The waiting… the secrets have been killing me, softly and slowly but mercilessly nonetheless. _

_I want it to end! I can't stay in this damn limbo anymore! If he keeps me here, then I will snap! I know that the loneliness, the concern, the hate, the regret have piled up and I am standing on the thin line that is keeping insanity at bay. _

_Should I give the step, Ryuu?_

_Kami! Can I –can my weakness be blamed? They haven't allowed me once to see my child, and that has taken the greatest toll on the fortitude of my mind! I am cracked and on the verge of breaking. Yet, I cannot help but cling to the hope that maybe, just maybe I do not have to shatter. _

_Wordlessly Ryuu grabs a nearby chair and pulls it towards my bed, positioning it close to where I sit. My eyes widen slightly and I struggle to keep my tears at bay. I cannot read his expression and I blame it on the haziness of my sight rather than on the fact that I am afraid to find out that I am wrong. _

_Kami, he hasn't been this close to me in forever!_

_I drink him in when he lowers himself on the chair elegantly, placing the leather journal on my nightstand. I have truly missed being able to be this close to him. If a squint a little, I think I might be able to detect the golden spots in his hazel eyes. To my surprise, I realize belatedly that he's looking back at me and… that I have not been wrong! I can see it there, more clearly because the light from the nightstand has chased away most of the shadows. Yes! There's tenderness there, swirling in the depths of his soft eyes. _

_I bit down on my lower lip hard, almost drawing blood. I do not know what to feel, there's a whirlwind of emotions invading me from all fronts. I have wanted this, I just never really thought that it would happen. Fate has never been kind to me, so part of me is understandably weary of it right now._

_Unable to stop them, unwilling to hide them, my tears fall. _

_I feel him more than see him move. He hesitates for just a moment before his arms come around me in a fragile hug. My bandaged limbs automatically move to hold him tighter against me, afraid that if I don't react quickly, he will disappear within the darkness that has preyed on me before. In answer, his arms settle more comfortably and I hear him sigh with what I think could be relief. Kami, it's been so long! After a moment, he pulls me into his lap and I submit to his wishes willingly and gratefully. My head ends up resting on his chest and I can hear his heartbeat coming into perfect rhythm with mine. _

_I was made for him and him alone and I am finally returned to the only place I belong. _

"_I'm sorry, Ryuu," I tell him, feeling the need to voice my sincere regret about what happened, about what I've kept from him. _

_I feel him leaning down to kiss the top of my head. "I understand… I'm sorry that you had to go through all this alone," he pauses unsure and, though a bit reluctant, I pull away to better look at his face. _

"_What is it?" my voice trembles. Is he rethinking his decision? "I swear I'll do my best to answer any question you might have, no matter what those may be."_

_Ryuu smiles and that in and of itself is enough to put me at ease. Perhaps I have become paranoid during my brief captivity?_

"_I just… I've been wondering about what to call you," he confesses._

_I chuckle at the childish expression on his face and the innocence of his thoughts. Of course, I should have seen this coming. Ryuu was always able to say and do unexpected things. It was this, above all else, what managed to throw the Black Widow off her game. _

"_You can call me whatever you like," I say and it's true. As long as he calls me his I do not much care about my name. _

_He doesn't seem to agree because he shakes his head and regards me with a chiding expression, "That won't do. I would like to know your preference," his calloused fingers caress my cheek, making my lids drop lazily in response. "It's the least I can do after the way I've treated you."_

"_You were right to-," he stops my protest with a finger on my lips. I would have kissed that digit if it wasn't for the solemnity that has wrapped itself around him. _

"_I shouldn't have required proof to know that you truly did love me," he argues. _

"_I still do," I correct and when he cocks his head in silent query, I elaborate, "I still love you. You said did, but it's do. I love you."_

_He brightens at my words. It makes me wonder if perhaps he too had been just as scared to approach me as I had been. I part my lips in invitation when I notice his eyes jumping from my eyes to my mouth and back again. He doesn't need me to voice that I have the same desire to reestablish intimacy. His lips descend upon mine. They taste minty and lovely and so familiar. _

_I step away from that line of insanity that I had almost crossed before today. _

_I deepen the kiss and his hands tightening on my waist tells me he approves. But we're both careful to keep from turning this reconciliatory gesture into something frantic and animalistic, no matter how much part of me is yearning to do so. Instead, the kiss is slow and languid and gentle and comfortable. _

"_I love you too, Sayomi," he whispers and I tremble at the sound. The tears that had stopped resume their flow. His gleaming eyes convey what I already know, he can read me like a book. "So… I was right." He chuckles, nuzzling my temple, "Sayomi it is then."_

_My hands fist on the fabric of his shirt and my heart sings with joy. I've always wondered how those lips would pronounce my name. I've always wished that he would call me Sayomi, not precisely because it was my real name, but rather because of what it signifies. _

_It proves that there are no more secrets between us. _

_It tells me that I am forgiven. _

_It reminds me that I am truly, in every sense of the word, home. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **stirred awake to the glorious feeling of relaxed muscles. For the first time in weeks, his body had been properly rested. He blinked as slowly, his senses pointed out that he was in an unfamiliar place. Not only that, but he was currently lying down in a bed that was much softer than his tatami. The fact that the blankets underneath him smelled like flowers somehow turned off his inner alarm. He knew this scent, he welcomed it actually.

Shaking off the remnants of sleep, he stared at the ceiling. It took him a moment to orient himself, but he pulled it off when memories of the previous night came marching to the forefront of his mind.

_Damn Sasuke_! He scowled. Neji hadn't demanded an explanation yesterday because his concern over Tenten had taken priority, but the man would not again escape his questioning! He knew that whatever the Uchiha had done had somehow prompted Tenten to recover her memories, but the 'how' was proving elusive. What could Sasuke do that Neji couldn't? For why else would she have gone to him instead—

_Sharingan_, his mind supplied, making him bolt up straight. Now that he was completely alert, he realized that he'd been so engrossed in his thoughts that he'd failed to see that he wasn't alone to begin with. No, the subject of most of his concerns was sitting on a nearby desk, hunched over –he peeked over her head as he stood up—a book.

Neji flinched when, upon closer inspection, he recognized that it wasn't just any book she was reading, it was _the_ journal he'd stolen from the Hokage's office! Anxiously, he pondered whether he should be more concerned over the fact that her entire attention was poured onto the book to the exclusion of everything else, including –much to his chagrin—his presence.

How she'd managed to even untangle herself from him without stirring him awake was beyond him, in the first place. Neji was acutely aware that they'd slept extremely close together last night, so much in fact that he'd even felt her chest moving with each breath. He felt his cheeks blushing at the memory and swiftly reasoned that he must have been more tired than he'd thought. Even so, it was still quite mortifying for him to have left himself so vulnerable. Was this not another proof of how comfortable he felt with her?

Neji shifted his weight to this other foot and turned away, not really looking forward to being caught staring at Tenten, especially when his blush had yet to recede. He crossed his arms as he struggled to decide what to do. Should he snap her off her trance, if only to check if she was alright? Or should he leave her be for the time being and just make sure to stay nearby in case she needed him?

Ivory eyes sought her on their own accord. For a while Neji studied the girl's profile, not quite ready to make a decision. He was never good with dilemmas, truth be told, and had always relied on someone else to help him make up his mind. That person had almost away been Tenten, but he doubted that she would be able to help in this particular situation.

Damn it, if only he knew what she was thinking! If only he knew what she wanted! But no matter how much he preached he knew her, he had no idea what would be best for her right now. After all, this was a thing that concerned her and, no matter how much he wanted to believe otherwise, he could do nothing but wait and watch.

Kami, he hated waiting! He'd done enough waiting for a lifetime!

Resigned, he made a decision. He turned around and left the room with the signature silence of his ninja training. He made his way downstairs, checking the clock that Tenten had conveniently hung on the living room wall as he passed it. He tripped rather gracelessly when he realized that it was already almost midday! How had he been able to sleep for so long? No wonder his body felt so rested!

Shaking his head, Neji went to the kitchen and, after looking around cabinets and drawers, managed to find enough ingredients to assemble a proper meal. He got to work industrially, all the while trying to ignore Gai's warning. But no matter how forcefully he pushed it aside, it seemed to leave an echo behind that would eventually, without failure, transform into a scream.

"Fucking thing!" he hissed when he almost chopped off his finger instead of a particularly slippery carrot. Thankfully, he'd managed to stop the blade thereby avoiding an unwelcomed injury. Trying to cool his temper, he brought his index finger to his mouth and sucked at the shallow cut.

Around an hour later, he had the table set. He glanced at the clock and then at the stairs. He stood stock-still and listened. When he heard no movement from upstairs, he scratched his head at a loss and then figured he might as well clean the mess he'd made in the kitchen before getting Tenten.

"You…you did all this?" Neji had been so engrossed in his task that he hadn't even heard her come into the kitchen, let alone approach him.

He mentally chided himself at his lack of vigil and placed the last pot he'd washed on its respective place, before turning around to respond nonchalantly, "I figured you would be hungry."

Tenten smiled at him and, though he could tell it was strained, he acknowledged that this was much better than her tears and so raised no complaints. Neji gave her an unusual smile of his own, albeit it was small, and was just about to ask her to sit down, when she closed the space between them and trapped him in a hug. His hands automatically closed around her smaller frame. It baffled him how natural holding her felt.

"You finished reading it?" he tightened his hold a little when he felt her hands fisting on the fabric of his shirt. For a while she didn't answer and he was afraid that maybe his blunt approach had not been the best idea.

"I…," she sighed and though he wanted to look at her face to gauge her reaction, she didn't seem inclined to let go of him anytime soon. Neji decided that he would hold her for as long as she needed him, for as long as she wanted him. "I didn't know my mother had kept such a journal… I didn't even know a lot about her mission to begin with. It was… her thoughts were… I… I understand, I guess…But…"

He knew she was trying not to cry when her body started trembling, just as he knew she had been unsuccessful when her tears went right through the fabric of his shirt, kissing the sensitive skin of the base of his throat.

"It hurts…," she sobbed.

Neji felt helpless. He placed his chin atop her head, wondering what to do or say, as his hands traced invisible circles on her back. He wasn't very good at providing comfort. In fact, he couldn't remember when was the last time he'd held someone else while they were so devastated. Perhaps he just wasn't built to give comfort? Yet, if that was so… then why was the idea of anyone else being in his place right now so troubling?

His eyes widened when he noticed Tenten's sobs had died and that her trembling had decreased considerably. Had he really done it? Had he, somehow, comforted her by merely reacting? Because he hadn't planned anything! For the first time in his life, he'd relinquished his control to instinct and had just followed along.

When she pulled away, his eyes roved her blushed face, concern evident in his features. Her tears had long since dried, her eyes were red and puffy and her hair was disheveled. Yet, Neji was sure he'd never seen her looking so lovely before. He leaned forward but his mind stopped him when he read the question in her teary eyes. He closed his eyes and straightened, doing his best to reign in his desire to trap her lips. Tenten was vulnerable and it was wrong of him to take advantage of her. Seemingly unconcerned by his reasoning, the urge persisted and he knew that, the longer they stood this close together, the more his discipline would crack. But, if he moved away, would that undo the mending he'd accomplished?

His eyes flew open with utter shock when he felt her hands grabbing a hold of his shirt and pulling him down to meet her. Her lips crashed upon his. They were soft and unfamiliar and thrilling. Thoughts of how she'd done this before flew into his mind. Only this time, a voice reminded, they weren't pretending, were they? He parted his lips and she deepened the kiss. He forced his lids to stay open even when hers closed, and so he was able to detect her tears resuming. He tried to, he truly did, but he couldn't stop himself from returning the kiss with an equal passion. Likewise, he couldn't stop his body from moving on instinct again, on reacting to something that she'd willingly begun.

He pulled her towards him possessively, they bodies meshed together until not even air could have stood between them. Her arms slid around his neck, clinging to him, making an explosion of feelings bloom in the pit of his stomach. Her swollen lips suddenly pulled away to nib at his neck and, in a moment of brief clarity, he took the chance to make sure that this was what she really wanted, no matter how scared he was that the answer would be no.

"Tenten… do you… do you know," he gasped when she licked his throat, his resolve momentarily breaking. "Tenten wait!" He pulled away, recovering some of his sanity. She looked hungry and disappointed and Neji almost buckled under that gaze. "I have to make sure…"

"Do you not want this, Neji?" her eyes locked with his, her determination was unwavering. He couldn't understand how she had managed to utter all that without her voice trembling with emotions. Was he the only one affected so intensely by this?

"Kami, Tenten, that's not it!" his hands tightened on her shoulders, almost digging into her skin. Did she really understand what she was initiating? He pulled his hands away and brushed furiously at his face, racking his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Then what is it?" She gave a step forward, trapping him against the counter when she placed a hand on either side. Her voice was low and husky and relatively calm.

He hated her for thoughtlessly putting him in such a position.

"What do you want, Neji?"

But he loved her as well.

"I want whatever will make you happy, Koishii," he whispered, caressing her cheek, trailing the path a tear had left behind. Her eyes widened in shock; his softened in realization. He really did love her. He touched his forehead to hers and said what he knew to be certain, "And I don't think this is it… not like this anyways."

He saw her eyes squeezing out tears and, when she pressed herself to him, her grief resurfaced. He held her for a longer time, leaning on the counter as he traced patterns on her back. How reckless of her to have decided to confront her entire past in one day, in one sitting. He could not have been more concerned and at the same time, as strange as it sounded, he could not have been more proud.

They didn't eat lunch for another four hours. By then, it was cold and unappetizing, but Tenten ate it all with a gracious smile on her face. When they were finished, he took care of the dishes. He was just about to ask if she was feeling better, when he felt her arms encircling his waist from behind. He couldn't hide the smile the action produced.

"Do you wish for me to stay tonight as well?"

The tightening of her arms told him that she wanted that, but being the considerate person that she was, she asked instead, "Would that get you in trouble with your family?

Neji twisted so that he could look her in the eye and said, "It is not important. What's important is only what you want."

She nodded and he knew that it was a response to the question he'd asked rather than a confirmation of his words. When she pulled away and grabbed his hand, he followed her upstairs and, even thought it wasn't very late, they got into bed and she promptly fell asleep cuddled on his side. Despite how much he wanted to soak up the richness of this experience, Neji's mind was spinning ahead, weaving a plan. Because he knew exactly why Tenten had kissed him so urgently earlier today, and he wasn't ready to have her disappear like smoke between his fingers.

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **did her best to untangle her limbs from Neji's without waking him. She chanced a glance at the clock in her nightstand. It was four in the morning. For a short while, she stood beside the bed, staring down at the peacefully slumbering form in it. She had the sudden urge to brush away the long, dark lock of hair that was slashing across his handsome face but she rejected the idea. She knew for a fact that, while she had been in a coma, he hadn't gotten any proper rest. After all, she'd managed to move away without waking him and that was a feat that would have been impossible under any other circumstances. Unlike her, Neji was not known to be a heavy sleeper.

She smiled down at him, amazed by how very dependable and understanding he'd been with her yesterday and the day before that. It was almost as if this was a different Neji and yet, it was still him. Perhaps what had happened had, somehow, somewhere along the way, changed him as well? Perhaps her past had, unintentionally, dragged him along with her?

_But do I dare risk you?_ She asked him in the silence of her thoughts. Would she truly risk his life for the life of that other person? _But I can't forsake him, either,_ a stubborn voice resolved, reminding her that the prisoner she'd left behind in the Serpent's nest was just as important.

Mind made up, she tiptoed her way out of her quarters and padded down the hall to the only other room in the second floor. She stopped right outside the door and stared at it for a long time. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against it, her fingers tracing a name unconsciously on its wooden surface. Tetsua Sayomi. How long had it been since she'd last gone in to check on this room? _Too long,_ her mind said as her hand took a hold of the knob and twisted it.

She took a deep breath, preparing herself mentally, before opening the door and proceeding inside. The room was dark and musky and covered in dust. The last time she'd been in here, she'd stripped her mother's broken body naked in order to clean her and prep her for her funeral.

Tenten had been heartbroken but, no matter what, her training had helped her to keep composed. That, in combination with the voice of her mom telling her to never cry in front of anyone unless that person was truly special. But as soon she'd been sure that Gai—who had brought her body- had left with the other members of her Mom's team, Tenten had collapsed on top of the pale, cold body of her mother and had cried until she couldn't cry anymore.

After that day, Tenten had tidied her mother's room for the last time before closing the door to never open it again. Until today. Today she had come to make amends with her mother's ghost. Today she had come to ask for forgiveness for the hate she'd harbored in a hidden part of her heart. Because yesterday, through her journal, she'd learned the real reason why she'd been abandoned. Yesterday, she'd finally understood why her mom had done what she had, and how much it had hurt her to do so.

And today, she had accepted it.

Slowly, she crossed the room until she was standing before her mother's old vanity. Atop it, she found what she had been looking for. She took the broken sword by the rusty hilt and, brushing the layer of dust from its blade, she kissed it. It had been with this weapon that Tetsua Sayomi had attempted to cut the Oschiro Clan all by herself.

"I will avenge you, mother,"she promised and she could have sworn she felt someone brushing at the tear that escaped her. But there was no one and, even though she knew it had been the wind that had filtered through the old window, Tenten decided to believe that maybe, just maybe, her mom had given her blessing and her support.

She left the room then, bidding silent goodbye to the feeling of betrayal that she'd developed, tossing it aside and taking, instead, the ghost of her mother with her. For what Tenten was about to do, she could not do it alone. No. Her mom would be with her and she would deliver the justice that her sword had craved for, that it was still craving for. Indeed, she could feel it tingling in her skin. The steel was ringing and Tenten would soon unleash the melody of its rage.

"But first, I shall mend you," she whispered lovingly to the sword, as she made her way towards the small blacksmith shop standing at the back of the house. Her mother had struggled to save enough money to construct the workshop just for her. Tenten smiled as she remembered, under a different light, the day her mother had presented her this surprise. The shop had been finished on the tenth of October, in the anniversary of their Clan's demise.

"Perhaps… you knew this day would come," Tenten wondered, chuckling mirthlessly as she began to set the necessary things to mend the broken sword. It was the only inheritance from a Clan that got burned down, but which –she vowed to all those who gave up their lives for hers—would rise again from the once forgotten ashes.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **jumped out of bed upon realizing that Tenten was not in the room with him.

"Shit! Am I too late?" he hissed as he rushed out the door, taking two steps at a time as he descended to the first floor. He cursed at his lack of attention, praying that it hadn't cost him the most precious person in his life. In record time, he looked around her eerily quiet apartment, his concern rising when he didn't find her. He was just about to activate his byakugan and leave the house, when the front door opened and she stepped inside.

"Oh, Neji, good morning," she greeted cheerily. She rose a single brow when she gave him a once-over and added, "By the way, where you planning on going out without your shoes?"

Neji stared at her with unbelief. When his feelings caught up to the situation, he clenched his jaw and glared at her. Did she not understand how worried he'd been?

"Eh, what's with that look?" she teased, reaching out to try to touch his face. But he caught her hand and pulled her towards him, crushing her in a hug. "N-Neji, are you alright?"

"Kami, Tenten," he chided, pulling away once he remembered that he was angry. "You could have woken me up! I thought that—wait, what is this?" He used a finger to wipe away at her cheek, his curiosity getting the best of him, "why are you covered in soot?"

"Ah, I just felt like doing some work," she responded amiably, "because of the last mission I fell behind on some orders, so I'm making up for it today."

"Is that so?" Neji wasn't hiding his suspicion very well, but he wasn't really making an effort to begin with.

If Tenten detected it, she didn't show it as she made her way to the kitchen. Neji followed close behind and, with interest, noticed her disappointment upon finding the premises clean.

"What, now?" she asked, turning around and fixing him with a look that played with his heartstring. Damn, she was a dangerous person! "No lunch today?"

Neji sighed, his angered forgotten in the wake of his relief at finding her pallor much more colorful than the last two days. The fact that she had gotten back to work, though unexpected, was also welcomed. Perhaps Gai's words had given birth to baseless fears?

"Fine," Neji caved, hiding his amusement, else she would make a weapon out of that look to wrap him around her little finger. "I'll make lunch again today."

She grinned and, to his delighted surprise, kissed him chastely on the cheek before she bounded towards the exit.

"Wait a second, where are you going?" he asked, grabbing her by the elbow before she could dash out of the door.

Her eyebrows raised, "I'll go back to work. I'm almost done with my project, after all." She cocked her head to the side. "Unless you wish for company while cooking? I can cut the vegetables and-"

"No, that's alright. You go ahead and finish," he said, letting go and massaging his temples. He was being foolish. Tenten would never leave without telling him, right? Despite his thoughts, Neji was unable to shake the sense of trepidation that had been hugging him ever since confronting Gai.

"Okay, I'll be back soon," she said, opening the door and stepping outside. Over her shoulder, she added, "Neji… thank you for all of this."

He brushed aside her words with a wave of his hand, braided his hair and set to work. By the time he finished, Tenten had walked back in with a fulfilled expression on her face. He guessed she must have finished her work, or was close to finishing. When he asked, she'd responded with the latter before disappearing inside the bathroom to wash up.

They ate in companionable silence. Neji wanted to ask what her plans were in regards to the Oschiros' prisoner, but he didn't quite know how to breach the subject. So instead, he'd waited in vain for her to bring it up. But Tenten seemed disinclined to discuss her past and Neji couldn't help thinking that maybe she would just let it go.

_As if,_ a voice inside him snorted and he brushed aside the possibility as inane. There was no way Tenten would stay passive, at least not for long. When they finished eating and cleaning up, Neji asked, "What are you doing for the rest of the day?"

She turned to him, hanging the drying rag inside a cabinet. "I was thinking on finishing the sword I'm working on so… you know, you don't need to stay." She shifted her weight, making his suspicion rise again. She was hiding something from him. "I mean, I'm sure there are things you need to do."

Again, he thought of asking her straight out what her plans were, but he doubted that bluntness would work this time. No, he needed to do things more subtly. After all, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable and prompt her to push him away.

So, with that in mind, he nodded and confessed, "I do have something I need to take care of."

"See, I knew it," she smiled and, after an awkward pause, bowed to him, "thank you for everything."

Her words sounded very final, but Neji kept his thoughts to himself. When she straightened, he leaned down and, this time, it was him who placed a kiss, not on her cheek, but on her lips. The temptation to do that had been killing him since their kiss the day before and he wasn't one to waste an opportunity or to not take advantage of an opening. "I'll see you later, then."

To his relief, Tenten blushed. However, as he was leaving, he chanced a backward glance and felt his heart twisting when he noticed a smile that, this time, did not quite reach her eyes. With newfound determination, he stepped out of her house. Time was ticking and, if he was to succeed at doing what he needed to do, he had to be quick about it.

_First thing first, _he said, preparing himself to confront the biggest obstacle in his path. He switched to a sprint and made a b-line for the Hokage's tower. He walked in and not even stopped by Shizune to ask if Tsunade was free. Instead, he barged straight into her office and found the blonde in the middle of leveling a jug of sake to her mouth. She looked completely unconcerned at being caught. She even shamelessly took a draught before putting the jug away and giving him her entire attention. By the time a flushed Shizune rushed inside, the Hogake was sitting behind her desk looking very professional.

"It's alright, Shizune," she said, signaling her to close the door.

With a glare his way, Shizune bowed before doing as told, leaving him in the presence of probably the most powerful ninja of the Leaf. She smiled at him, her eyes glinting with unhidden excitement. Neji gulped and braced himself for whatever would happen next. Surely, it would be a miracle if he managed to walk out unscathed after this, right?

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Neji knew that he had no time for pleasantries, so he went down to business, "I have a request."

Tsunade's lips parted into a sardonic grin, "Oh, so you barged into my office uninvited because you have a request?"

Neji kept his expression from betraying his nervousness. When putting it that way, it sounded very ridiculous and he couldn't help feeling like she was having fun at his expense. Still he needed her, so he refrained from antagonizing her. After a pause –perhaps she had indeed expected some form of retort?- Tsunade chuckled and pushed a pile of papers sitting on her desk aside.

"Alright, I'm listening."

"I came to ask that you do not cancel the mission you tasked us with."

Tsunade leaned forward, weaving her fingers, signaling her interest, "And what does the leader of the mission think about this?"

"I think you know as well as I do that she'll be looking forward to finishing this," Neji responded stoically, knowing full well that he was playing with fire.

Tsunade laughed softly and looked wistfully towards the window. "Do you know what the most important rule of the ninja world is?"

"A ninja must never show his feelings, no matter what," Neji responded drily, wondering if he'd already burned his bridge without him knowing.

Tsunade nodded, "Indeed. Hiding your feelings and not having them are two separate things, aren't they?" she asked and he had the feeling that she wasn't asking him. Instead, she seemed to have directed her question at herself, or perhaps at a memory of someone. "Alright," she seemed to come back to the present, her eyes piercing him. "This intrigues me, so I'll allow the mission to continue."

Neji sighed inwardly with relief and bowed respectfully. He turned to leave, but Tsunade wasn't finished.

"By the way, Neji," he turned to her, waiting for her to continue. There was laughter in her eyes even if her lips remained pressed into a stern line, "Where you the one who stole into my office and took the Black Widow's journal?"

He knew that lying would only make things worst, so he nodded, "I gave it to Tenten. I can get it back and I will willingly submit myself to whatever punishment you see fit… once the mission is finished."

Tsunade pulled the jug of alcohol from under her desk, "No need." She took a drink, leaning back on her chair and spinning it so that she was looking straight at the window. "It was not mine to keep, anyways."

Neji bowed again, his respect for her doubling. The underlying statement in her question had not been lost to him. She had wanted to let him know that nothing escaped her. He smirked. _As expected from a legendary nin_.

As soon as he was out, he traced a mental route of the most efficient way to go around assembling Tenten's team. The mission was soon to be resumed and, if they still wanted to be a part of it, they would need to move swiftly. Time was ticking.

**To be Continued…**

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**Fan Art: **There's two new pieces for this fic, you can find the links on my profile or use the ones below and get rid of the spaces:

_Tenten's family: _

art/ Tenten-s-family-213933621?q=gallery%3Agigi-fenixphoenix&qo=2

_TentenxNeji: _

art/ MeltedSteel-NejiTen-216651201


	14. Sword's Song

**Revised:** 6/01/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** _DarkAnonymous324, Crestfallenfeline, GoldenDragonClouds, Just Lovely., anniewanny2 _and _kenzinator_.

**Typos pointed out by:** _Just Lovely._

* * *

"_There's no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."_

_~Ella Wheeler Wilcox~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 14: "Sword's Song"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_We were supposed to bring the Clan here. We were supposed to restart our life without any secrets binding us. We were supposed to be finally happy. _

_But fate hates me._

_Someone we trusted betrayed us. He sold us. He mocked us. _

_When we had everything set, we stepped outside the compound. My hopes and my dreams ended soon after. The might of the Ochiro Clan had been waiting for us and, like flies, we were caught in their web. No one was spared. It was an all out battle and we were outnumbered and outmaneuvered. Not even the superior skill of the Tetsuas could break us out of the trap. _

_We never stood a chance…_

_My fate is cruel and whoever I entwine my life with seems to end up sharing my misery. I hate this. No matter how much I tell myself it's just a coincidence, this is something that has been proven time and again without exception. _

_Kami, how I wish I could have been killed! How I wished I could have been spared the pain of living on while everyone else –people who did not deserved such fate—became nothing more than dust in the wind! How I wish I could go back and change things! _

_I hate you fate! I hate you! _

_And I hate you Kami-sama as well._

_You are both too cruel…_

_The plan had been to escape without anybody noticing. We were supposed to have left in the middle of the night, incurring no causalities and avoiding all fights. We were supposed to have started again from scratch, all of us, all of the Tetsua Clan. I was supposed to keep my home! _

_But they're all dead now._

_He's dead. _

_My home has sunk in an ocean of blood of those that were supposed to make it real. The only one of Tetsua blood that made it back was my daughter. She is my only consolation. She is the only reason why I keep moving forward instead of going back and standing with those who had become my people. She is the only thing that keeps me from embracing death and fighting until my last breath. _

_But truth remains. I failed. _

_My mission had been to bring them back to Konoha. My mission had been to protect them. My mission had been to welcome them into a new country, my country. For the second time in my entire life, I failed Konoha. Worst, however, is knowing that I failed the Tetsua Clan, that I failed my beloved husband and that I left him behind to fight a losing battle, if only to buy us time. _

_Kami, I failed! And it hurts something fierce. It really does, it hurts! _

_It hurts so much to breathe. Every beating of my heart reminds me of how I let everyone down. Every tear that rolls down my cheek is a signal of my defeat. Kami! It hurts so much to remember. It hurts so much to know that he is gone. It hurts so much to know that I will never see his smile again, that I will never feel his lips, that I will never gaze into those bright hazel eyes, that I will never again be held by those strong arms of his. _

_Did I kill them? _

_Was I wrong to have convinced them to leave the Earth and come to the Fire? Did I pave the ground for their destruction? Oh, the irony! Even now fate laughs at me and my despair! Because unwillingly, unconsciously, I ended up achieving the mission I was given all those years ago, back when the Black Widow was my master. _

_I destroyed the Tetsua Clan. _

_I hate you fate. _

_I hate even more the fact that nobody made it except me and my daughter! _

_Kami, it hurts! _

_By the time our small, haggard band stepped into the gates of Konoha, my daughter looked like a zombie. She was pale and slim with black bags under her eyes. She had been unable to stop crying and had spent all her energy in clinging to her misery. I felt the same, but for her sake, I put up a front. I pretended I was okay when truth was, I was breaking. _

_I am breaking. _

_But I can't allow myself to fall to pieces. I mustn't! I'll cling to her and she'll keep me from giving up. Yes! I can't give up, not while she lives. I have to be strong for her. I have to protect her. I have to love her a thousand fold in order to compensate for what she has lost, for what my actions have taken away from her. _

_It took me a long time to settle her into the spare room in my old house. She looked pitiful, curled up in the middle of that bed. I had tried feeding her, but she'd refused more than a few bites. Truth be told, I don't know how to even begin to comfort her properly when I myself am hurting just as much. I think part of her blames me. In one night she lost it all. _

_Poor Tenten, you seem to share my cruel fate now. Should we have died as well? Part of me wishes we had but the other… the other wouldn't permit any harm to come to you, my daughter. _

_You are special and I am selfish. _

_In the end, though, you are the only thing left of all those people. Within your blood runs the entire tradition of a Clan who had died in your defense. Perhaps –yes, I dare to dream!- one day you will bring it out of the darkness where it has been lost and into the light again. Perhaps one day you will make your ancestors proud, you dad and uncle and Grandmamma proud. And me. I will be proud too. _

_I feel the muscles around my eyes tightening and my orbs welling with tears when she starts to tremble. I know nightmares are visiting her tonight. I know because even if her mouth does not utter words, her tears speak volumes. I make the decision here and now. I wonder if it's really my right to impose on her my selfish wish. _

_But, Tenten, I feel I must. _

_I must! _

_I want you to understand that I do not do it because I think you weak. I do not do it because I do not respect you. I do not do it because I hate you. It is precisely because I love you, that I will take away your pain the only way I can. I will ask for a favor that will bind me for a lifetime and I'll make you forget everything. _

_Will you hate me one day for this, I wonder? _

_It doesn't matter, though. I will carry both our pains and I shall free you of the knowledge that your fate has been as cruel as mine. And from this day forth, I promise you with all my heart, I will protect you, for both your dad and I. _

_Nothing will touch you, not even your past!_

_Forgive me, Tenten, for I shall strip you from more than just your name._

_Forgive me, my daughter, for my weakness. I cannot –I refuse to see you suffer any longer, even if by doing so I end up suffering alone. But I will do it all in silence. I shall not show you the marks that that ruthless night has left in both of us. I shall hide my scars and yours and I shall also hide my tears so that the only thing you will see… will be my smiles and my love. _

_This, I promise you… and all the ghosts we left behind. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten** submerged the blade into the iron bucket one last time, cooling it down after having beaten the steel into shape. Sweat rolled down her temples when a cloud of vapor hit her straight in the face. She brushed them away with her arm, her entire attention focused on the water boiling around the red blade. The bubbles rising to the surface almost gave her the not so farfetched impression that the sword was alive and breathing.

She was almost done. She just needed to polish the steel, sharpen the edge and reattach the hilt and she would be finished with her latest masterpiece. More importantly, this would also bring her one step closer to her unalterable, fate-imposed destination; a destination she needed to reach fast, before she ran out of time.

She crossed her arms as she pondered upon her plans. Shin had given her a month to accept his invitation to meet with his dad, Ryota, head of the Oschiro Clan. If she was correct in her calculations, she'd left the meeting on the fourth of this month of November. With all that she'd been through –being rushed back, slipping into a one-week coma, recovering her memories, pushing depression away, finishing preparing for departure—the days had rolled by amazingly fast. It was already the twenty-third.

Now, if she thought about it, it had taken her team thirteen days of travel before reaching the village of StoneHedge. Of course they had been traveling unknown territory at the time and had taken it easy, else they'd ended up getting lost along the way. After hearing Sakura's explanation of what had happened after she'd passed out, she'd learned that it had taken the guys only eight days to come back to Konoha, having pressed their pace and taken very short breaks.

Therefore, if she did the same and traveled fast and light, she should be able to make it before the deadline Shin had imposed. Yes. She couldn't fail in this! No matter how much she would wear out her body, no matter if she tore a muscle in the enterprise, she had to reach StoneHedge before the fourth of December!

Otherwise… otherwise he would… No! She would not think about it!

Holding onto her resolution, she focused on her current task. The blade had cooled so she adjusted her thick, working gloves, and reached for it. Blade on hand, she moved it towards a beam of light coming in through a window in order to better inspect how the thin engraving she'd done had turned out. A vague silhouette of a dragon ran through one side of the blade. Its mouth was open with fangs displayed in a ferocious war cry. Her heart jumped at the beauty and the strength it represented.

"It's fitting," she nodded to herself, satisfied with how her handiwork had turned out. She might not have possessed the artistic skill of someone like Sai, but she'd always had a fascination with dragons, which is why that was about the only creature she could draw above average. Of course, now that she'd recovered her past, she understood that it wasn't just a fascination.

It was love.

Her dad's name, after all, meant Dragon. And _that_ creature that had entered her dreams and had protected her every tenth of October was none other than him, Tetsua Ryuu.

Using a rag she'd thrown over her shoulder, Tenten proceeded in drying the blade before she began the arduous task of polishing it. As she rubbed it meticulously, brightening the steel beneath, she realized that she could hear the sword singing. She was aware that she'd been listening to it for quite a while, but, unlike before, this was the first time she truly appreciated it in more than one level.

What she heard wasn't really a melody per se. It was, instead, something she _felt_ in her very core, down to the marrow of her bones. She'd always called this indescribable sentiment her steel sense, but she knew better now. She remembered her training, brief as it had been, and knew now that it was the steel in her blood calling out to the steel in her hands. Unlike the majority of people, Tenten understood the unconventional language, which is why she couldn't shake the thought that the steel was actually alive.

For her, at least, it was.

"You're angry," she pointed out, reading the sentiment that had been engrained into the sword. Even when broken, the sword had latched onto that emotion, becoming one with it, raging with it, singing with it, crying with it.

Tenten was acutely aware of where it came from. No, that was not right. She knew 'whom' it came from. This hot anger was the last thing her mom had felt before she'd been killed. It was anger so intense that it not only prompted the steel to ring, but it emanated from the blade in thick waves, latching onto her heart and making her hands tremble. It was almost too much to bear, but Tenten subdued it with her own power, soothing its anger by promising the blood of those who'd done its previous owner harm.

In answer, the melody switched to an excited one. It quickened her heartbeat, sharing the emotion with her. Or perhaps she was wrapped by it? Whatever it was it made a smile brighten her face. Holding the sword reverently, she brought it up to her lips and kissed the lovely blade. When she opened her eyes, she saw her reflection on it and noticed that her eyes were welled up with tears. How bizarre that she hadn't realized before that the blurriness making everything hazy wasn't caused by the long dispelled vapor.

She blinked them away as she reflected upon all that she had learned and all she had lost. Only now that she had awoken as Tetsua Tenten did she truly believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that every weapon was alive. Yes, as eerie as the thought was, it was true. Every weapon retained in its body a fragment of the soul of those who wield it. Tenten, by caring for this one sword, by using it, would likewise end up surrendering a part of her. In a strange kind of way, would that mean that her and her mom would be together? Or that at least part of them would?

The thought made her smile.

If she made it back and if she ever started a family of her own, she decided that she would pass down this sword to her eldest child. This would be the beginning of her own tradition, one that would have the Tetsua Clan's teaching in its core. It was a silent promise she made to herself, her only wish was that she wouldn't be forced to break it.

Tenten shook the grim thoughts off her mind. Placing the blade atop a nearby counter, she walked to the table where she'd left the hilt. She grabbed it and studied it in silence for a while. The balance was perfect, but the black leather wrapped around it was worn and part of it was already rotten. She frowned as she began pulling at it, strips of it breaking into pieces. It was weird, but she had the feeling that the binding was unnecessary. When she'd finished unwrapping it, she discovered that she was right. The leather strip had had only one purpose and it had not been a practical one. It had been used to hide a secret kept beneath, engraved into the hilt of her mother's sword. Tenten traced the image, the symbol of her Clan. Even when casting everything away for her sake, her mom had clung to this one thing, this one memory.

"As I thought," she whispered, her voice still managing to break with rapidly building emotions. She turned around, the hilt on her hand, and approached the blade she'd mended. "You are the perfect weapon for what I must do."

After cleaning the hilt, she assembled the sword and, taking a small scroll she'd put aside for this particular purpose, she sealed it inside. Afterwards, she tucked the scroll into the waistband of her pants before taking a couple of other kunais and senbons she'd finished and leaving the darkened work shop.

When she stepped inside her house, the first thing she noticed was the quiet atmosphere. She should have been used to it, but lately, with Neji staying over… Kami! How could she have grown unaccustomed to it so soon? She was an idiot! Of course, she couldn't expect him to just stay with her all the time! What? Did she truly think that he could just throw everything away and come live with her just because he'd become a little worried? Just because he'd comforted her in her time of need?

Angry with herself, she stalked up the stairs and into her room. Throwing the weapons and the scroll on the bed, she went to the closet. She wasn't planning on going out tonight so she opted for some in-house clothes which she then threw on the bed thoughtlessly. Shaking her head at her own childish emotions, she went to the bathroom, filled the bath with hot water, stripped naked and attempted to relax.

Pretty soon this would become a luxury and that realization, if nothing else, helped in uncoiling her muscles. Leaning back and closing her eyes, she pushed all thoughts aside, leaving her mind blissfully blank. Well, except for that one thought that would not leave her, its echo continuously ringing inside her head: _I'm running out of time._

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **rushed into the house. He told himself he'd used Tenten's spare key to avoid disturbing her. Truth was, however, he'd done it because he couldn't take the waiting. Neji was afraid. He'd been harboring the fear all day long, actually. He was terrified to find that she'd gone to confront the Oschiros without telling him.

So as soon as he'd been able to, he'd come to look for her. He'd looked in her workshop first, only to find it closed and long deserted. Now that he'd come to her house, his fears weren't lifting! Instead, his heart was pounding and felt heavier as the prospect of not finding her became even more probable.

He'd tried his best to come back as soon as possible, Kami he had! But it had taken him hours to track down all the ninjas that belonged to Tenten's team. Not to mention that he had to re-brief them and, most times, he'd been forced to explain the situation in detail before he'd been let go.

Perhaps the least welcoming meeting he'd had had been with Sasuke. Despite his belief that he had made amends with what happened, Neji had not been able to ignore his anger when he'd found himself face to face with the other prodigy. He was quick to confront Sasuke, demanding to be told what had happened when he'd found him walking around with Tenten late that night.

But, to the Sasuke's credit, he'd been unafraid to deny his request. No matter how much Neji had threatened him –though, granted, there was no way he would be able to pull murdering him without getting into trouble—he'd been tight-lipped. Eventually, afraid that Tenten would leave before he could get to her, Neji had let the matter drop.

"Where the hell are you?" he murmured when he finished sweeping the entire first floor only to find no sign of her. As he scanned the living room one more time, he zeroed on the closet near the door. Normally, Tenten was known to leave her traveling pack –sleeping bag and other necessary thing—inside the small closet and at the ready in case of emergencies.

He breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself, before he took a hold of the knob and threw the door open. He raised his eyes to the ceiling with relief and thanked Kami-sama. Her backpack was still there, with sleeping bag attached and all. If there was one thing he was sure of, was that she would never leave without it. Therefore the fact that it was still in the house told him he might not be too late.

Closing the door, he proceeded upstairs. It was the only place he hadn't looked yet. There were only two rooms and he doubted that she would be in her mom's quarters. So, before checking that one, he made his way to her room and opened the door. He stepped inside and immediately felt his stress and fear leaving in a whoosh.

There, on the bed, was a fresh outfit. He could hear, now that he'd calmed himself, the splashing of water coming from the bathroom. She was only taking a bath. She was still here. He heaved a tired sigh and, just to make sure, activated his byakugan. Sure enough, he could see her charka signature just beyond the door. He could also see, by following the figure the paths created, that she was lying down on the tub, completely at ease.

Blushing slightly when his imagination started to take flight, he quickly backed out of the room. Neji closed the door trying not to make a sound, else he would scare her with his presence. Massaging the back of his neck nervously, he made his way downstairs.

Without conscious thought, he ended up in the kitchen. He blinked when he snapped out of his trance and shook his head, a smirk on his face.

"Might as well make dinner, then," he figured, braiding his long hair before checking her fridge and pantry in search for the necessary ingredients.

By the time he finished preparing rice and chicken, Tenten had finished bathing and had stepped into the kitchen. He smiled when he noticed her leaning against the door, watching him intently. The unblinking gaze was so intense it almost made him blush.

"Well, don't just stand there," he told her chidingly, "set the table."

"Sir, yes, sir," she mocked saluted him before walking towards the cupboard that held the dishes. He heard her chuckle as she reached for the plates and he smiled to himself at having elicited such a reaction from her. Not long ago she'd seemed so dejected that he'd been worried she would do something stupid if left alone. He was glad that the fear had been baseless, though the trepidation persisted.

They sat down opposite one another once the food was on the table. For a while they ate in silence before Tenten broke it.

"How was your day? Got into any fights with your uncle yet?" she joked, her eyes twinkling mischievously. He knew that, however, that underlying her casual tone laid real concern. This was her way of asking if he'd gotten into trouble on her account.

_Silly, Tenten, don't you know that I will willingly walk into hell for you?_ He wished he could tell her that, but knew this was not the right time. The fact that his feelings for her had awakened so suddenly and were building with baffling rapidity didn't mean that hers were too. Sure, they had kissed and she'd made it clear she had wanted him, but she was also in a vulnerable state and he didn't want whatever they could have to start because of that.

"My day was fine. I just needed to put some things in order, is all," he responded laconically. "I am, however, much more interested to know about your day." He grinned boyishly when he detected a small blush tinting her cheeks. Perhaps her feelings were just as intense, then? "You finished your orders?"

"I did," she stood up and disappeared through the door. Neji frowned with confusion and was about to stand up and follow her, when she returned carrying three kunais and five senbons. "Ta-da!"

Neji chuckled when she placed what she liked to call 'her babies' on the table near him before turning to look at him expectantly. He knew she wanted his opinion and so, pushing his now empty plate aside, he studied each weapon attentively. As expected from the weapon mistress of Konoha, they were all perfectly made. The balance was just right; the weight light enough to be thrown easily but heavy enough to not lose power.

"Well?" she prompted after he was done twirling, weighting and studying the details of each of the weapons.

"They are of superb quality," he concluded. "Good job."

With a broad smile, she swept them up and placed them aside. Afterwards, she proceeded to clear the table, humming a melody under her breath. Neji watched her for a moment, entranced by her movements. Like a mindless slave, he ended up following her into the kitchen, all the while wondering what would happen if he were to call her _koishii_ again. Last time she'd seemed surprised and genuinely pleased, but still he was hesitant. These feelings were new to him and half the time he wasn't sure how to properly handle them.

Kami, he wanted to kiss her so bad! Kiss her with the same passion with which they'd kissed yesterday in this same kitchen.

"Well don't just stand there," she said, throwing him the drying rag. He caught it before it hit him on the face and he slapped himself mentally for daydreaming while in her presence. It would have been quite embarrassing if he'd ended with the rag draped on his face, wouldn't it?

Joining her at the sink, he took the washed plate she was offering and started to dry it. They took care of the dishes in silence, save for her humming which he found incredibly pleasant. It still surprised him how comfortable they'd grown with each other during this last couple of days, to the point that doing this menial task seemed rather natural.

"Are you going back to the compound tonight?" she asked out of the blue, drying her hands on the sides of her baggy pants.

Neji hung the rag and decided to be honest, "I had no plans to do so, but if you wish me to go, I will."

She smiled up at him, took his hand, and led him upstairs, her answer unneeded. He followed her willingly, his heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably by the simple contact of her hand holding his. In silence they got into bed and she cuddled by his side, draping an arm across his chest possessively. Legs entangled intimately, Neji couldn't help but feel as though she was preparing to leave, even when everything pointed to the contrary.

_It doesn't matter, I'll be ready when you are, _he promised her silently. Feeling a little bold, he placed a hand under her chin. He saw the question in her eyes when he tilted her head up, but before he could chicken out, he captured her lips. He was relieved when she returned the kiss.

"Goodnight," he told her, tightening his hold around her, pulling her even closer.

She rested her head on his chest, a smile on her lips as she answered, "G'night."

Despite how comfortable he was, Neji didn't sleep much. He couldn't. His restlessness was not his lack of tiredness. He'd been riding an emotional rollercoaster all day long. It was more due to the fear that, if he were to close his eyes, he would find her gone in the morrow. He didn't think this fear made him unreasonably paranoid; it just made him a careful person. After all, twice she'd been able to slip from his arms unnoticed, hadn't she?

Thus, he stayed by her side, holding her, studying her peacefully slumbering form. He felt a bit like a creep for watching her without her knowledge. Yet, he was unable to unglue his gaze from her either way. As soon as sunlight streamed in through the window, Neji slowly untangled himself from her. Jotting down a small message, he left it in her nightstand before slipping out of the house.

She would leave today, he was sure, and he knew that she would do so once he left her side. Not wanting to be caught off guard, he figured he might as well provide the perfect opportunity and just catch her on the act. With this in mind, he made his way to Konoha's gates, idly combing his long hair with his fingers.

When he got there, Neji was pleasantly surprised to find the rest of Tenten's team already waiting. Lee, who was the first his eyes unconsciously sought, pointed at a bag besides his. Neji recognized it as his own.

"As promised, my youthful teammate, I brought your pack!" He gave a thumbs up which Neji decided to ignore. But he allowed his appreciation to be known by patting Lee on the shoulder. That seemed enough to have the Green Beast jumping with obvious glee, sprouting his usual nonsense of youthfulness and, for some reason, squirrels. Neji decided, for his sanity's sake, to ignore that as well.

Knowing that he was indebted to these people, he nodded at the rest of them curtly in greetings. They nodded right back, though most of them were busy trying to keep warm by rubbing at their arms or, in Lee's and Naruto's case, challenging each other to see who could do more squats.

Neji proceeded in taking a seat beside a bored looking Shikamaru, who seemed to find even complaining was bothersome at the moment. Either that or he was worried. Whatever the case, Neji didn't ask. Instead, he sat down and crossed his legs. He shut his eyes, pretending to slip into meditation. The last he wanted was to be asked, again, where he'd been staying at lately. So far he'd been able to brush aside those questions by providing more important information, but he was running out of excuses.

Truthfully, though, Neji was torn. Part of him wanted everyone to know exactly who he'd been with and consequently whom they should stay away from. The other part of him, however, was afraid that, if he did tell them, he would tarnish Tenten's reputation.

He bit down on a groan that threatened to escape him the more he reflected upon this. No matter how much he tried to push those thoughts away, it became painfully obvious that meditating was out of the question. Truth be told, all his thoughts lately were focused on the kunoichi who'd, just this morning, had slept in his arms. At the mental image the thought produced, Neji couldn't help the dazed grin that quirked his lips. He was sure it must look uncanny because it caught the attention of some of the males around him. Yet, no matter how much he fought it, he couldn't wipe it off. Or perhaps he just didn't want to?

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **woke up to find the spot beside her… empty. She stared at the ceiling for a while, trying to chase away _that_ feeling rising within her that she could not quite comprehend. She supposed it was a mixture of relief and a longing of some kind. It was as if she was battling with herself. Part of her, a rather selfish one, had wanted to find Neji there and so felt abysmally disappointed. While another part of her, a much more cynical one, kept pointing out that this was good; that this would make things easier and was thus relieved to find him gone.

She shook her head chidingly at her first part. She had no right to drag him into her own personal hell. What she was about to… it could easily be regarded as treason and Neji had enough problems on his plate –what with his Clan having control over his brain and all—for her to add even more.

Having successfully convinced all of her that this was for the best, she rolled out of bed and proceeded to change into her traveling clothes. When she sat down on the edge of her bed and was about to pull on her winter boots, she noticed for the first time a folded note lying atop her nightstand.

Intrigued, she took it and unfolded it, her lips already quirking with the beginning of a smile. Only one person could have left it there. Sure enough it was a message from Neji –his calligraphy just as elegant as was his entire person. The message was short and, for some reason, made her uncertain as to what to really make of it. It read:

_Koishii,_

_I had to leave to take care of some things. I'll probably see you later, alright? Don't do anything reckless while I'm not there. _

_Sincerely yours,_

_Neji_

She blushed slightly at how he'd addressed her. It was weird how much one simple word –even written- could make her heart do all sorts of things. However, the rest of the message was so vague that she couldn't help suspecting that he was hiding something from her. Of course, she had no right to be angry or even upset by this. After all, wasn't she doing the same? Worst, she was planning on most probably betraying his trust…

But what else could she do?

She needed to find that person. She needed to _save_ that person. That person was important too!

Refolding the little paper, she put it inside the pocket of her pants before choosing her weapons and going downstairs. She quickly and efficiently packed enough supplies to last her, she hoped, for her journey to the Earth Country (maybe if she ate sparingly?). Most of the food she was bringing was dried fruits and meat, since she wasn't planning on wasting time to cook. The breaks she would be taking, she'd decided, would be mostly for sleeping and resting.

Bag of supplies and weapons ready and sealed in multiple scrolls, she bade silent goodbye to her house. This time she didn't part with the ghost of her mother because she was taking her with her. Zipping her jacket close, she stepped outside. Tenten locked the door and hid her key below a nearby vase, right beside her spare key. She grimaced. The probabilities of returning were slim at best, so she didn't really feel the need to keep her key with her.

She shook her head, trying to shake away the unwelcomed thoughts of defeat. She had to be strong! She had to persevere, if only to bring _that_ person back safely with her!

_He's important, damn it! _

Grim, she made her way through the empty streets of Konoha and towards the gates. Winter was already here and so people tended to rise later than usual. Tenten was glad for it. She didn't want to leave witnesses behind, else they got into trouble on her account. A gust of wind slapped her and she pulled her coat closer around her body, shoving her hands below her armpits in an effort to ward off the cold.

By the time she reached the gates, she realized that there was a group huddling nearby. A little uneasy, she continued on towards them only to freeze upon recognizing them. Her mind was having trouble making sense of this and she blinked a couple of times, thinking that maybe she was still sleeping. But the sting in her face from the cold was proof that this was real and that…they were really there… waiting for her?

Her eyes swept the group again. True enough, huddling near the gate with packs ready for a journey, were none other than Neji and the rest of her team. With emotions tearing her heart in opposite directions she approached them, not knowing whether to hug them all or scold them.

"What's the meaning of this?" she said, opting to appear stern in order to chase them away. No matter how much the sentiment behind their actions meant, she couldn't drag them into something that didn't concern them. There was no reward for them if they came, only punishment and maybe, even, death!

"About time! We're freezing, woman!" Kiba scolded, patting Akamaru when he barked in what she assumed was agreement, though she doubted that –with their bigger coats—they would be as cold as the rest of them.

Tenten frowned and, pointing back at the village, said, "You can't come! Go back, all of you!"

Shikamaru stood up, scratched the back of his neck, and turned to Neji enquiringly, "Doesn't she know?"

"Know what?" Tenten zeroed on the silent Hyuga, her eyes trying to read his calmed expression. What the hell had he done!

"Destroy the Oschiro Clan, that's still the mission, isn't it?" Sai was the one who ended up answering, his tone nonchalant as he adjusted the straps on his shoulders.

Tenten opened her mouth to argue, but didn't quite know where to start. She'd assumed that Tsunade had canceled their mission but she hadn't actually checked! Did this then meant that she wouldn't betray Konoha by leaving? What she had planned, was it actually ordered?

"Yes, but let's not forget that we've been tasked with a new objective as well," Neji corrected, standing up and approaching Tenten with his bag in place. "We were ordered by the Hokage to do everything in our power to recover and keep alive the Tetsua prisoner. He is, after all, supposed to be under Konoha's protection."

Despite trying to blink them away, Tenten couldn't keep her tears at bay. They rolled down her cheeks, marking her deep… _relief_. Truth was, with only her it would have been close to impossible for her to keep the pretence of Saito Ai and properly infiltrate the Oschiro Clan, let alone rescue that person. But with her team back and ready to help her… it was as if fate had finally given her a break.

And Kami, she was thankful.

She was so thankful…

She felt a hand gently brushing away at her tears and, when she looked up, she noticed that Neji was so close that she could feel the warmth emanating from him. Within that warmth, she could also feel his unwavering support.

"Let's get your family back," he told her, smiling at her with those ivory eyes of his.

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, nodding to him in both acceptance and appreciation. After that, she squared her shoulders and took in the rest of her powerful team. She would be unstoppable with them by her side. She would be able to actually do it! She would be able to accomplish what her mom had failed to do! What she had died attempting!

"Thank you," she told them, bowing to them humbly and making them all blush and awkwardly brush away her words. Chuckling at their reactions, she pulled her hood up and, making sure they were all ready to go, she set the pace knowing that they would follow.

_Mom, I'm bringing him back,_ she promised to her ghost.

Tenten could have sworn she heard her mother whispering in her ear, as the wind whipped her, that she was glad.

**To be Continued…**

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**AN:** I hope you are enjoying so far and please don't forget to review if you have the time!


	15. Solmen Duty

**Revised:** 6/01/2012

**Thank you again to my awesome reviewers:** _DarkAnonymous324, Crestfallenfeline, GoldenDragonClouds, Just Lovely., anniewanny2, Titch-ola, anthropomorphichybrid _and _kenzinator_.

**Typos pointed out by:** _Just Lovely._

* * *

"_Duty is not collective; it is personal"_

_~ Calvin Coolidge ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 15: "Solmen Duty"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_I lied to my daughter for the first time and probably not the last. I should have asked her if this was what she really wanted but I was not brave enough. What would I have done had she said she wished for her memories to be left alone? Would I have abided by her decision?_

_I tiredly press the heels of my palms into my blood-shot eyes. I am waiting now. I am sitting just outside the Hokage's office, dreading what I have forced upon my daughter. I pray to Kami-sama, for what seems like the hundredth time, that this is the right decision. _

_I hear some shuffling nearby and my head mechanically follows the sound. Gai is standing there near the opened doorway. His body language displays an atypical awkwardness. It tells me he's unsure of how best to approach me. I wonder how long he's been there. Did he see my moment of weakness? Has his idealized image of me been further tarnished? _

_What can I say, Gai? I am a human with emotions that sometimes are hard to conceal, especially when they are prompted by those close to me. And Tenten is close as close can be. _

"_Are you alright?" He moves to take the chair to my right. I cannot help it. I laugh. It's a humorless sound that comes out harsher than I intended. _

_What a funny question. 'Am I alright?' That better be rhetorical because I'm sure I'm wearing my feelings on my sleeve. The glaze in my eyes is not due to lust or tiredness, it's produced by grief and nervousness mixed with pain. Yes. There is pain in my heart because I am about to lose the only thing I have left of the Tetsuas. Once my daughter's memories get reorganized, concealed and changed, would she still be the same child I've raised? The same child Ryuu loved?_

_Ironic, isn't it? It is upon choosing to keep her safe that I might end up losing her after all. Is protecting her body and her mind worth changing her? Would she still remain Tetsua Tenten? Or would she become another type of a Black Widow? A fragile shadow living while her real self is put to sleep? _

"_I'm sorry," I hear him whispering, his back hunching unbecomingly. Why do I get the impression that he feels guilty? Why would he? I was the one who pushed the Clan to make the decision that ended up destroying them… _

_I spare him a short glance in acknowledgment. I'm not sure whether to feel grateful for his presence or annoyed by the extra guilt he's injecting into my soul. Gai's dark eyes are trained on the floor, his hands are entwined with tensed fingers half-flexed. I smirk sardonically and lean back on my chair, the creaking of the furniture breaking the silence. _

_I am a fool, aren't I? I made a decision without thinking things through and now… even before the deed is finished, I'm already second guessing it. Will the Tenten I left in that room across the hall still be the same Tenten when she walks out? Part of me, I think, is already regretting asking for her memories to be tampered with. _

_I close my eyes. I can't stand this situation. But there's no going back. Not anymore. I made a promise and I cannot break it. I dare not break it, else I throw the ghosts of the Tetsuas into limbo. _

"_This is the first time…," escapes my lips unbidden after a while. _

_I feel Gai's eyes on me, but I don't look at him. Instead, I keep on gazing into the back of my closed lids, finding the darkness sort of soothing. If only I could stop time and freeze myself in a tomb of numbness…If only there was a way I could bring back the Black Widow and forget everything about Tetsua Sayomi. Funny how the mere thought rather than make me ache with longing pierces me with intense pain. Even if it's painful I cannot let go of my memories of Tetsua Sayomi. It is the happiest I've ever been, which is why the sadness is almost unbearable. _

_Fate is a cruel thing. _

"_The first time…?" Gai prompts after a pause. He is nervous and unsure. He must have been waiting for me to finish my confession. _

_I don't make things easy, do I, my friend?_

"_This is the first time you regard me with pity." There. I've said it. It isn't an accusation. Instead, I just stated the obvious without further judgment in my tone. What should I feel? It's weird, but I truly do not know. It is as if I feel so much that, in the end, my mind forces it out of my system. _

_It is what it is. _

_I am who I am. _

_The net of fate has been cast and I am already trapped. So is Tenten, except I've weaved the thread of her life for her. Was I wrong? Should I have asked her what she wanted? _

"_I'm sorry," he whispers and I detect real regret laced in his voice. He didn't try to excuse his emotions or hide them, and for that I am grateful. Gai has always been honest with me. If I confide my uncertainties, would he comfort me? Or will his words break me even more? _

_I do not know what to say or what to think or even what to feel right now, so I keep silent. And we wait, Gai and I, for my new child to come out through that ominous-looking door and step into a world that is not entirely her own. _

_As if prompted by my thoughts, the door opens to reveal her. The creaking of the doors has never before seemed so loud. I think the mere sound of it probably woke those living nearby. Of course, my mind is so focused on what's happening that I think even my heartbeat is loud. _

_I take in the little girl that shyly steps out. Her eyes are dry and her frame is not shaking anymore. She looks so normal that it hurts. She notices me then. Her lips part into a radiant smile I feel I haven't seen in ages. She's changed and yet… that expression is the same. _

_As she approaches with an oblivious bounce in her step, I realized that her bright eyes are beaming. But they are less astute, less knowing. I have hidden who she is inside her own mind. I have, perhaps now I understand, caged her. Kami, what have I done? I have stripped away from her the freedom to choose! _

_I remind myself that there's no going back. What use is there to add more guilt when there's nothing I can do? It's an excuse, I know, but please let me believe it! I need to believe it! _

_Tenten must have noticed the tears welling in my eyes because suddenly she's running into the arms I have opened unconsciously to welcome her. She hugs me tightly. "Don't worry, mom. I'm fine," she says, rubbing my back in a comforting way. _

_Kami, I'm so sorry, Tenten! I smile sadly, my lower lip trembling. I hug her tightly, hiding my tears by pressing my face into her messy hair. I want to assure her that I'm fine, but I do not trust my voice at the moment. _

_I have to pretend! _

_I have to pretend that everything is alright, remember?_

_Gai, it seems that the only one who should be sorry is me. I am sorry, Tenten. Please forgive my weakness. Please just stay happy. Please do not hate me. Please… please… fate, don't be cruel to her as well. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **reluctantly acknowledged it was time to come clean when her team began closing in from every direction, determination written in more than one face. They'd just stopped to rest for the night. Like with the previous days, they'd eaten their supper in companionable silence before, as if on cue, they'd all approached her isolated form. She pulled her coat tighter around her and waited for them to settle down to unleash their onslaught of questions.

She knew what they wanted without the need for them to spell it out. They were a day away from their destination, with two days to spare before they reached the deadline. So far, her team had given her the space she needed, not asking any questions about what had happened to her or what she planned to do. Their conversations had been banal and short. They'd all been too busy trying to save their energies to spare some for small talk. So the journey had been rather solemn, a far cry from the last time they'd come.

Tenten was thankful to all of them, especially Neji and Sasuke –who knew more than the rest and therefore, should be the most inquisitive. They had respected her silence and had allowed her to keep her obvious secrets. However, there was a limit to how much and for how long they could tolerate her lack of cooperation.

Tenten knew this day had been inevitable. Though part of her was glad it would be over, she felt a little unprepared. How do you go about explaining something as complex as her past in one sitting? Moreover, how much about her ill-conceived plan could she disclose before losing their support? Not even Neji knew what she'd cooked up and she was the most worried about his reaction.

Him and Lee… they would definitely not be okay with it. Yet, there was no other way. None that she could think of, at the very least. Of course, they still had time to plan something else. This secret plan was only in case of an emergency. She'd come up with it when she'd thought she would be coming alone. Now that she had her team, it had become merely a contingency plan. So maybe she didn't really need to tell them? Why worry them about something that might be unnecessary?

"So… what's the plan, Captain?" It was Naruto the one who broke the silence. His tone was cheerful and, when she turned to him, she was a little surprised to see a smile break on his face. There was no judgment and that eased some of her stress.

"Other than meeting with the Oschiro's representative and infiltrating their clan, I haven't got a clue yet," she responded, hating herself for lying. "I mean, we don't really have a lot of information about how their Clan works."

Tenten chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. She was mulling over all she'd discovered during the meeting they'd sustained with the Oschiro Clan, trying to remember the relevant parts. Something important popped into her mind and she squinted, following that train of thought.

"What is it?" Shikamaru asked.

"I feel that perhaps there could be a way to exploit the weaknesses in Shin's relationships with Hiro and Nobu."

Tenten frowned when she noticed surprised interest in the faces regarding her. Why was it that every time she said something like this they got amazed?

"You guys noticed it too, right?" she pursued unsure. Had she imagined it then? No, she was sure that the weakness was there! "During our last meeting, Shin and Nobu seemed to be subtly engaged in a power struggle. It seemed to me that they were both trying to vie for the Alpha male spot in front of my –Ai's group. Moreover, when Hiro was abusing the prisoner, I caught Shin looking at him with obvious disgust. I think that if we tap into those gaps and make them bigger, we could potentially spark an internal struggle."

"Interesting," Shikamaru nodded. Looking at the rest, he asked, "You guys also detected this?"

Tenten blushed when all the members of the blade team, including Lee, removed their eyes from her. Their faces soon reddened and their bodies tensed noticeably. The awkwardness that ended up permeating the atmosphere made blood rush into Tenten's cheeks, tainting them brightly.

Unconsciously, her arms tightened even more around her slim frame. She was feeling so self-conscious that she had to fight the urge to pull her hood up to hide her face. Of course they hadn't noticed what had been happening at the time! Considering her strange behavior by the end of the meeting, she couldn't really blame them either!

"Eh, what's this?" Kiba seemed the only one delighted with the situation. Lacking the skill to understand what her glare meant, he dug his elbow into Lee's ribs, intensifying his blush. "Somethin' happen, didn't it?" He nudged him insistently. "So… spill it! I wanna know!"

"That's not important," Neji intervened coldly, much to everyone's silent relief. "The point is that if the Clan is indeed already divided into factions, then that increases our chances of success. A divided Clan is not unheard of, especially one that values strengths over blood lineage."

"If this is the case, we'll just have to figure out which faction to 'throw' our support behind," Shikamaru agreed, surmising the complete strategy with the simple statement.

"I think our best option might be to ally ourselves with Shin," Sai offered.

"Why's that?" Naruto always seemed unconvinced of whatever came out of Sai's mouth for some reason. Tenten, however, understood what Sai was getting at and completely agreed with him.

"It's obvious that he has been captivated by Saito Ai. It would be easy to take advantage of that to manipulate the situation," Sai said with an empty, strangely condescending smile.

On their own accord, Tenten's eyes sought Neji. If she didn't know him as well as she did, she would have thought he was unaffected by the news that another man was vying for her affection—even if it wasn't her Shin really fancied. Yet, the muscles of Neji's face harden turning his expression much colder than usual. It was wrong of her, but the fact that the stoic prodigy of the Hyugas could actually get jealous –let alone for her!—made her happy. It was still hard to believe that he liked her. That maybe he'd even come to _love_ her.

He'd called her his beloved, hadn't he?

"Alright, we'll have to make sure of this before deciding on anything. We'll move in stages. First, we need to successfully infiltrate the Clan. Afterward, we'll need to establish a good channel of communication between our teams." Shikamaru's dark eyes settled on Kiba and Akamaru. He held his chin thoughtfully for a second. "Perhaps, since Ai has thoughts about staying with the Oschiros, she's decided to bring her dog along?"

Kiba was surprisingly quick to follow, "Yeah! We can use Akamaru to exchange messages back and forth!"

"Since he has to take his walks and all, it wouldn't be all that strange for him to go out of the Clan's territory, perhaps even out of the village every once in a while," Shikamaru added.

Tenten nodded her approval. It was a really good idea. One that Tenten doubted she would have been able to come up with so quickly. She was once again reminded of why this man was considered a genius.

"Alright, so we'll keep the teams as they were with the exception of adding Akamaru to the blade team," Tenten said.

"I have a suggestion," Neji's eyes were posed solely on her. The intensity of his look made a shiver run up and down her spine.

"What is it?" She gulped. Why was her throat so dry all of a sudden?

"I suggest Sai becomes part of the Shield team."

"Why is that?" It was Sasuke the one who asked, though she was curious to know as well.

"The Shield team will need to scout the area, secure a route for when the time to retreat comes, meet with our contacts and send reports back to the Hokage. That's too much for only two people," Neji replied laconically, half-shrugging.

"Two people?" Kiba frowned and tilted his head to the side. Akamaru, who was sitting beside him, did the exact same thing.

Neji's eyes, which had swept the crowd during his explanation, came back to settle on Tenten. She had the impression that his next words would be some kind of challenge. "Someone has to take my place."

"What? Where are you going?" Tenten was not the only one confused since everyone else, with the exception of Sai, were sporting frowns. Just what was he thinking? Where the hell was he going? Was he going to—

"Naturally, I'll be going with you." He looked –or rather glared—at everyone, daring them to disagree. When nobody objected, he added casually, "Whoever heard of a shadow moving around without its master? Wasn't that what Ai said?"

"Well, I've got no problem with it," Sai's lips parted in an eerie smile that turned his eyes into small slits. This man had some ways to go before properly understanding emotions. Why was he grinning like that? Tenten thought it was creepy.

"What do you think?" Shikamaru turned his full attention on her. She was quickly reminded that the decision was hers to make alone.

She took in the stern face of Neji, feeling torn. Could she risk him too? The thought that something might go wrong and he ended up trapped –or worst, died!—because of her selfishness bothered her. This was not just any Konohan shinobi they were talking about to begin with! Here, willing to walk into a potential hell-hole, was the strongest member of the Hyuga Clan. If he was caught… would that not endanger the entire Clan? Wouldn't that, consequently, weaken the Leaf?

Yet, looking at him –into those ivory eyes, to be precise- she was reminded that this was not a man who would easily go down. He was a prodigy, was he not? Didn't that mean he was… well, strong, maybe even stronger than her? Not to mention that, as she got pulled into the depths of his eyes, Tenten found a steely resolution lingering there. He wore a look that asked for her trust and at the same time trusted her to make the right decision.

Though Neji had given a suggestion before, his involvement in her team wasn't part of it. It wasn't a request that she take him with her but it wasn't an order either. It was… what? To her it sort of felt like a strange bond keeping them together or an unvoiced promise that they would never be apart. Or was that just her wistful self producing the perfect excuse to bind him to her?

Her hands fisted, the action hidden below the fabric of her dark coat. No matter what she said, she knew that he would not be swayed. His mind was already set, and she was as relieved as she was concerned about it. Well, it was no use dragging this any longer. She would just need to make sure he was protected at all times. Worst case scenario, she would sacrifice herself to give her blade team a chance to escape. If she was lucky, the Tetsua prisoner would be with them when the time came.

"Alright, Neji and Sai will switch places," she said, her voice stripped of any hesitation.

"Okeydokey, so if everything's settled, can we go to sleep now?" Naruto barely stifled a yawn by the end of that sentence. Tenten noticed, for the first time, that they were all truly worn out. It seemed to her she was not the only one that was in need of a shut-down.

Smiling at her team, she nodded her acceptance and signal that the meeting was over. The men stood up, stretched their sore limbs and went to retrieve their sleeping bags. Before long, most of them had already chosen their spots and were preparing for their well-earned respite.

Tenten checked to see that her scrolls hadn't been lost in the hectic journey, especially the one containing the sword. Afterwards, she took her sleeping pack, chose her spot and unrolled it. She flopped down gracelessly on top of it with an unrepressed sigh. Shuffling nearby had her turning to her right, where she found Neji settling in a spot nearby. She looked at him amused when she noticed he'd, once again, deliberately placed himself as a barricade between her and the rest of the males. She wondered if it was something he was doing unconsciously.

When he noticed her expression he mocked glared at her. "Yes, I'm doing it on purpose."

She chuckled, "Jealous much, Neji?"

He pulled his sleeping bag even closer prompting her eyes to widen slightly. "Yes," he answered simply, much to her surprise.

She was about to brush aside his words with a witty joke, when his lips curled at the corners. It was so distracting that she ended up mumbling incoherently instead. She shook her head and, just as she was recovering, before she could even prepare, he'd leaned down and unabashedly pressed his warm lips to hers. It wasn't an innocent peck or anything remotely like that. No. It was a deep and passionate kiss that should have been left for a more private environment but which she couldn't resist answering.

She blushed at the realization of the show they'd just given when they parted. When had her hands gotten so entangled in his hair, anyways? She retrieved them quickly, her cheeks burning furiously. Neji, however, seemed disinclined to release the possessive hold he had on her waist. She glanced around nervously, hoping nobody had seen. Only to realize… they had an audience! Of course they did! Lee, Naruto and Kiba were openly gawking at them, which was proof that they'd been caught red-handed -or in this case, red faced.

Tenten groaned and hid her face behind her hands. She wished she had Gaara's ability right about now. That way, she would at least be able to hole-up inside a sand tomb until her embarrassment receded. To her surprise, Neji chuckled softly. She glared at her palms, not daring to look at him, else her blush intensified even more. It seemed that Neji wouldn't have it, because when his breath ghosted across her face she was_ forced_ to pull her hands away.

She blinked and her back tensed like a plank. He was hovering above her, his face so very close, his head propped on an elbow. Whatever happened to that rule indicating how much distance one should keep from Neji? She could use it right now! She really, _really_ needed help to pretend that he didn't affect her as much as he actually did.

_A bucket of cold water would be welcomed now, please? Anyone?_

She suppressed another groan and concentrated on glaring daggers at him.

"Neji, what do you think you're doing?" she whispered sternly, though she knew it was impossible for her to properly chide him when the fact that she now felt hot and bothered signaled she hadn't really minded the exchange. On the contrary, she'd enjoyed it. She'd even moaned, hadn't she? Wait! She…she had! _Oh, Kami-sama, kill me now!_

There was laughter in his eyes and, at the same time, an intensity that made her shudder. The look spoke of a sense of possessiveness she didn't knew he could inspire. Neji smirked again as if he'd just won some kind of game.

"I'm making it clear that you're not to be approached and at the same time, I'm making some of _them_ brittle with jealousy. It's rather fun."

Tenten knew that fraternization during a mission was against the rules. Granted, it wasn't one of those rules that were enforced. In fact it rarely was. But it was a rule nonetheless! There had to be a reason for it, right? She also knew that as the Captain, it was her job to punish Neji for breaking said super important rule. Yet, why was it that all she could muster as a retort was a languid smile?

Shaking her head at her own lack of discipline she pushed him away. Doing her best to ignore him, she zipped her bag close. Soon after, however, Neji sought her touch and unable to help it, she gave it to him. When she finally fell asleep, it was with his hand holding tightly onto hers.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** thought he was really over it. But when Uchiha Sasuke woke him up to change shifts, he realized that he was still bothered by the secret that, in a way, bonded this man with Tenten. For all he knew, the importance of this event might have been blown out of proportion by his imagination, but Neji couldn't help it. He didn't want a secret to make part of Tenten be Sasuke's alone.

Careful not to wake the woman sleeping beside him, he let go of her hand. He shook the sleep off and fought the urge to demand an explanation of what happened on that night from Sasuke.

"What are your intentions with her?" the gloomy Uhicha asked in a voice just above a whisper. Neji doubted anyone but him would have heard him.

The question –so personal in nature—made him bristle like a cat ready to pounce. He was careful to keep his irritation at bay. He who angers you conquers you, after all, right? And Neji would not be conquered! Least of all by someone like this traitor!

Despite his efforts to keep cool, Neji glared at the man who, with arms crossed, waited for an answer he certainly didn't deserve. For the sake of keeping him from pursuing Tenten in a romantic way, Neji decided to be honest.

"My relationship with Tenten is none of your concern but… I'll tell you this straight-up. I love her. I've always had and always will. And I'll not give her up to anyone. So you better eradicate any ideas you might have about deepening your relationship with her."

Sasuke stayed silent for a while, perhaps mulling over what to say. Neji wanted to threaten him some more, but the words just wouldn't come out. Tenten wasn't really his property to put rules and limitations on and that was perhaps what was keeping him quiet. That didn't mean that he would give Sasuke the courtesy of his time and wait for him to answer. So he pushed past him, bumping shoulders with the man to seal his words.

"Alright," he heard him say. Neji stopped beside him, shoulders still touching. He stared at him through the corner of his eyes, ivory met onyx for the longest time. Sasuke turned to look at him squarely, his expression unreadable. "She seems happy so I'll keep out of it… But know that if you ever hurt her, I'll surely do my best to snatch her away."

Neji didn't like the sound of that. However, he knew that this was the closest thing to a deal they would ever strike. So he nodded. A truce had been formed. There was no way they would ever be friends, but at least they wouldn't be competing for Tenten either. It was a thing that put a big part of him at ease –though he would be crazy to admit it.

When Sasuke began to walk away, Neji asked the question that had been gnawing at him. "What happened on that day?" What remained of his patience had been worn thin by the conversation. How long could he hold out from demanding that someone told him this?

Sasuke stopped in midstride. "Nothing that you need to worry about."

"So why not tell me then?"

"This is something you should ask your girlfriend," Sasuke shrugged, still not turning around to face him. Neji was glad for it, because if his expression had showed even a hint of cockiness, he would have surely closed all of his chakra paths.

Neji let the subject drop by allowing the man to leave. He stood there for a while, trying to undo the knots in his emotions. Heaving a long sigh, he gave up and just pushed everything aside for now.

In silence, he made his way towards the sentry post at the edge of camp. His heart felt heavier by the second, though. This secret, it was putting a strain on his relationship with Tenten. He could feel it, despite the lack of concrete evidence! Yet, he knew this was not something he could force out of those involved. Sasuke was persistent in keeping silent and Tenten… he was afraid to ask her, for some reason.

_I'll just have to wait for her to tell me when she's ready,_ he figured as he lowered himself onto the hard ground. He cursed the cold weather under his breath, crossed his legs and activated his byakugan to look around. To his surprise he detected a familiar chakra signature approaching. He turned in the direction, deactivating his blood limit just as the figure broke into his line of sight.

It was Tenten.

Before Neji could say or do something, he felt her arms wrapping around his neck, her face pressing into his back. He sighed softly, grabbing her arms and squeezing reassuringly. She was doing this on purpose, hiding that is. Neji wondered if she'd heard his conversation with Sasuke. Part of him was sure she had. Why come so soon after if that had not been the case?

"You heard?" his voice came in a whisper. He was doing his best to keep his tone stripped of premature judgments, but it was proving difficult. He felt her head moving, signaling what he'd already guessed. She had. Neji gulped, prayed that he would not screw everything up, and went for it. "Will you tell me, then? Will you tell me what happened?"

He felt her limbs tensing around him, tightening her hold. She was struggling to come to a decision and it was killing him. Neji closed his eyes and waited, not daring to try to disentangle her arms even when part of him craved to look at her face, to read her emotions. What the fuck had happened? What could they had done that would turn his question into such a challenge?

"I played him," she said softly, tiredly with some shame thrown in there as well.

Neji bit down on his tongue, a part of him dreading what she would further say even as another part of him held his breath in anticipation.

Tenten gave a deep breath. She seemed to wait for him to say something, so when he didn't, she explained. "It all started with a conversation with Sakura when I was in the hospital. She unconsciously gave me the idea, actually, when she exposed her concerns. I knew by then that someone had tampered with my memories even before you found the journal. So… I did what I had to. I concluded that the only way to get my memories back was to have Sasuke use his Mangekyō sharingan on me."

Neji's eyes widened in realization. It had happened. He knew, without needing her to spell it out, that the traitor had done it! He'd used his sharingan on her! How could he have been so damn stupid! The image of her pale form on that night popped into the forefront of his mind. He remembered her look of pain and shock and the tiredness hugging her every muscle.

In a blink, he broke her hold on him none too gently, catching her by surprise if the yelp was any indication. He spun around to face her, grabbing her shoulders roughly, fire dancing in his eyes. "You did what! What the hell were you thinking?"

Rather than looking away in shame, she gazed back into his eyes with the determination he'd always admired in numerous other occasions. Not this one, though. _Damn it, Tenten! How could you be so stupid! _

"I did what I had to," she insisted coldly, not bothering to apologize.

Neji's jaw was starting to hurt under the strain and, between grinding teeth, he managed, "You could have died! You know that, right? Tell me that was not your intention, Tenten."

She glared right back at him. "When the time comes, we all do what we must," she hissed at him. "You yourself should know this more than anyone."

"Bullshit."

She raised an eyebrow, "Don't be a hypocrite, Neji. How many times have you gone off to do something dangerous without even telling me? Or have you forgotten that one time when you came back with a hole in your chest and you almost died?" She grabbed a hold of the collar of his shirt and pulled him close, "Because I haven't."

That gave him pause and the haziness that had descended on his mind seemed to retreat somewhat. Was he really that selfish? She was right. On that occasion, he hadn't even considered telling her what he was planning on doing. He'd just left her, just like he'd always been afraid she would leave him.

He shook his head, pulling away. It was only then, when he was back in control of his emotions, that he noticed his digits had been digging into her shoulders. He relaxed his fingers and retrieved his hands, hoping he hadn't left a mark on her. Appalled at how quickly he lost his temper, he shot her an apologetic look. Kami, she was right. How could he have been so blind?

"Tenten… I'm sorry," he whispered, his hands for some reason where trembling. He used them to comb back his hair, not really wanting her to see him like this –trembling like a leaf.

Tenten sighed and sat back with a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry too, Neji."

They stayed like that for a while. Neither of them speaking or even looking at each other.

"I didn't plan on dying, Neji." She finally said, answering the question he'd asked almost at the beginning of the conversation.

Neji, however, was at a loss for words. He was still a bit shaken by the fight they'd had, the first one in all the time he'd known her. It made him aware of how fragile their relationship could become when putting a certain kind of strain on it. But he was glad to hear her say those words. So, for an answer, he took her hand, squeezed it and whispered, "Thank you."

He saw tears welling in her eyes and he barely managed to keep his from showing. Kami, they were both tired and probably regretting their words. At least, he knew he was. Tenten started closing the distance between them and he was happy for it. He closed his eyes when he saw her leaning towards him. Her lips touched his and he knew, in that moment, that everything had changed. He knew that, from now on, he would be unable to do what he must if her happiness would be put in jeopardy. He knew that there could be no heroic deeds for other people if that meant he would hurt her. He knew –no, he hoped there would be no more secrets between them.

Neji almost laughed at that last thought. Tenten was still keeping something from him. This entire mission was built on secrets and there was nothing he could do about it. Except… maybe he could hope and pray that, when the time came to do what she must, she would trust him with them.

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten** closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to steady her drumming heart. This was it. They'd come, just like she'd hope they would. She rolled her shoulders absently, trying to get rid of some of the stiffness that had settled there. It was now or never. She had to play the part perfectly, else everything blew up in their faces.

"Are you ready?" Neji asked from somewhere behind her, his presence giving her the strength to do what she'd set to do ever since she'd discover who she was. She was Tetsua Tenten, vowed enemy of the Oschiro Clan.

Tenten opened her eyes and in answer gave Lee a curt nod, signaling her readiness. Lee slid the paper doors of the private tavern room open. She saw them there, waiting for her. Shin swiftly got to his feet when he saw her, Hiro, on the other hand, took his time. Tenten smiled sweetly at them and strolled into the room with the prowess of Saito Ai.

"Gentleman," she greeted cordially, her eyes taking in every detail of their facial expressions. For ninjas, they were rather careless with the information their faces provided.

Tenten noticed, without having to become too observant, how Shin's eyes lit with delight while Hiro's brows met with frustration and –yes, there it was, clear as day- disappointment. Tenten had never felt happier to bring disappointment to someone.

"Saito Ai," Shin greeted, taking her hand and kissing it softly. Tenten fought the urge to brush away the kiss. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."

"And I you," Tenten said, sitting down opposite the Oschiros. "I have to admit that last time we saw each other was rather… crazy for me." She managed a soft laugh while languidly tracing a path down her cheek, just like Nobu's scar. By the heated look in Shin's eyes, she knew she'd nailed what she'd wanted. The gap was there alright and she was just about to stretch it. "Where is your uncle, by the way?"

Shin's eyes became cold while Hiro's filled with suspicion.

"He's somewhere else… attending to my father's biddings," Shin responded politely, his words a clear display of power.

"Of course," Tenten reached across the table to hold Shin's hand. It was a signal for a truce and a reminder that he was still Ai's favored man, or so she wanted him to believe. "I am just really glad that you were not otherwise engaged. It would have been quite a shame had I lost this opportunity."

"Ah, it would have been indeed," Shin responded charmingly, tapping her hand. "Which reminds me, have you taken care of… the beast that was causing you problems?"

"Oh, he's been dealt with, alright," Tenten assured him, keeping her eyes on him. She knew that her team would be observing Hiro and would know, soon enough, if the chip in their relationship was still there.

"Well then, whenever you are ready, we can take you to my father," Shin's voice held a tingle of excitement.

"I'm always ready," she responded smartly, licking her lower lip. That seemed to please him enormously if the wolfish smile was any indication.

In a corner of her mind, Tenten heard the sound of gleeful laughter. The wheels were finally in motion and this time, she would make sure to be the one to give the last spin. That was her duty, the one that she'd been spared to accomplish. And accomplish it she would.

**To be Continued…**

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**AN: **I apologize for the long wait. It was a busy semester. Anyways, happy 2012! Thanks in advance to all those who review and who haven't given up on this story!


	16. Soundless Pain

**Revised:** 6/01/2012

**Thanks again to my awesome reviewers:** _Dokuritsu17, anthropomorphichybrid, toshiko-san21, DarkAnonymous324_ and _Just Lovely_.

**Author's notes: **A lot of things should be happening next chapter. The big fight is coming and so is the end. I'm thinking this will end up being 19 chapters plus an epilogue if not less! Anyhow, thanks for reading and don't forget to review if you can! ~**Enjoy**!

**Typos pointed out by:** _Just Lovely._

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"_Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy."_

_~ F. Scott Fitzgerald ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 16: "Soundless Pain"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_I snapped at her. I do not know why I did it. It wasn't my intention. It's just that… why the hell did she have to ask about her father again? Why must she be so curious and persistent? Why can't she just accept what I've told her, what I've been telling her every time questions aroused? Why can't she just leave the secrets alone, let the ghosts rest in their tombs? _

_Truth is, I was more frightened than angry. I was sure that she would see right through me and know that I have lied. So I did the only thing I had become an expert on. I walked away. I marched out the front door, not bothering to even say goodbye, not even explaining to her why her questions bothered me so. My feet took me straight to the Hokage's office. I barged in with no consideration for those waiting and, without pause, asked for a mission. _

_Asked? No, silly me. I did not ask. I should be frank, shouldn't I? I demanded that he sent me away. I did not care where as long as it wasn't here. I couldn't stand my house and I knew the Hokage could see it without my need to spell it out. Perhaps because he took pity on me, he disregarded my lack of manners and gave me what I needed, if not necessarily what I wanted._

_Nobody can give me what I want. Nobody… _

_I left that same day for a mission that took longer than anticipated. I've been away for more than a week. I'm on my way back now and I realize that I'm ashamed. Oh, Kami, Tenten… what can I possibly tell you about a ghost that haunts me every waking moment? I want to tell you everything there is to know about him but… I can't. What I remember is not what you were made to remember. I sacrificed your memories so that you could be happy in oblivion. So why can't you? Why can't I? I made the decision to keep all of this pain hidden from you but it's getting harder and harder. I'm lost and I can't seem to find my way back to smiles and fake happiness. _

_Don't get me wrong. Do not judge me for my callous words. Tenten…she brings me happiness, she does. But sometimes, most times I'm selfish and I feel –I shouldn't, I know that! I know! Believe me, I do! Yet, fact remains, that most times that is not enough. Tenten is not enough to keep my grief at bay. _

_I miss him. I miss him terribly. I miss him so much, that it takes an enormous effort to get out of bed every day. When I do, I'm cranky and displeased by every little thing. All that reminds me of him –which is nothing short of my daughter and my memories- I've come to both cherish and despise, as strange as that sounds. _

_How could I not? I have nothing else of him. I have no photos to gaze at or clothes to hug to my body. I have no shoes to put near the door or perfectly made weapons to polish. I have nothing save images that, through time and against my wishes, have started to lose their detail. Am I not allowed to grieve those things? Am I being petty? _

_Tenten, I… I don't want to blame you, I don't. But I'm human and sometimes –most times, I see in you his ghost and it hurts me so much that I can't stand it! I can't stand being around you! I love you, do not get me wrong, I do. With all my broken heart I treasure you and your life. But I also loved him and I… _

_Fate, why must you hate me so?_

_You have his eyes and his mouth and his hair, you know? You have his sense of humor and his laugher and his smirk. You have his skill and his mannerism and even his stance. Every time you play with that kunai he gave you, it's as if I've been thrown back to that first time I saw him. It's a cold, hard slap in the face that makes me wonder if Ryuu would have been better off if he hadn't met the Black Widow._

_Tenten, all of this… all of what makes you special I have taken from you. Don't you get it? How can I expect you to love me unconditionally when this secret keeps me from being able to be with you? Would you hate me if I told you? Would you try to stay away from me just like I've been doing? Would you end up asking fate why the wrong parent was spared? Kami! He would have been so much better for you! I believe that he would have been happy to be with you whereas I… I'm a selfish bitch incapable of dealing with my emotions. _

_I sigh and stop just before stepping into the village. I allow myself a moment to close my eyes and try to settle my racing heart. I'm so nervous and I feel so guilty, that it takes me a long while to fight the urge to run away. I'm being unfair to you. I should be more mature, shouldn't I? I should be the one to wait for you but, since we've come to Konoha, it seems that you have been doing most of the parenting around here. Even in that, you are more like him. Like Ryuu. _

_I finally muster the courage to step into the village. I go to the Hokage, knowing that the rest of my ANBU team would be there already, waiting for me before giving the report. I'd asked them to head ahead by providing the excuse of meditating, which –in retrospect—I kind of did. I'm surprised when I get to the Hokage's office only to find that the report has been provided and I had been dismissed ten minutes ago. I massage the back of my neck and thank my team Captain for his understanding on my way out. _

_As I head back home, I encounter none other than Maito Gai. I want to run away from him too, but his eyes stop me. I can see anger in the way his mouth presses into a thin, scornful line. Even his eyes are devoid of the usual glint of… well, love. Are you judging me too, Gai? Are you wondering what it would have been like if the Black Widow had never allowed herself to fall in love? _

_I wait for him as he approaches. I try not to roll my eyes or betray any of my thoughts. He probably went to check on Tenten and found out what I did. He probably hates me just as much as I hate myself. _

"_Sayomi," he greets crisply. _

"_Gai," I wanted to sound annoyed, but I think my voice hints at tiredness. I guess I haven't had a goodnight sleep since I left. It had nothing to do with the mission either. Kami, I'm a mess. _

"_I… Sayomi, I can't pretend to know what goes on in that youthful mind of yours but… You can't blame her for what happened," he says, his anger slowly giving way to frustration. "It's not fair."_

_I want to snap at him. I want to remind him that he's not a part of my family, and that, as such, how I treat my daughter is none of his concern. But he's right and I am reasonable enough to see that. _

"_I already feel bad enough, Gai," I admit with a deep sigh. I turn around and allow him to walk me home. Even if he's mad and I'm not looking forward to his lectures, I appreciate his company. He has helped me a lot, especially when it comes to Tenten. If it wasn't for him and Kakashi, I know that she would have been mistreated by some. _

"_You regret asking for what you did all those years ago?" he asks after a while. I know he is trying to help but sometimes I wish he kept his mouth shut. Isn't the answer obvious enough? _

"_I regret a lot of things," I answer with melancholy. I can't help but think back on that one day I stepped out to save him, and in the process condemned everyone else to die. If I had known then what I do now, would I have still helped Gai? Or would I have turned away before the Oschiros had seen me? The question bothers me even more than my lack of an answer. If I'm asking myself that, isn't that answer enough?_

_Would you hate me if you knew what goes on in my mind, Gai? There's a reason why the Black Widow was so fierce. I think that when Ryuu died, the dam holding her back also cracked. _

"_She didn't tell me, you know," Gai says suddenly, interrupting my thoughts. _

_We are at my doorstep. I could just head in and ignore whatever accusation he's planning to deliver next. Curiosity overthrows my defensive mechanism, though. So frowning, I turn to look at him squarely and give in, "What are you talking about?"_

"_Your daughter," he says simply, as if that is answer enough. I cross my arms, already wishing I had not asked. Gai, however, surrenders no ground, "She didn't tell me what happened. I just knew you'd done something because of the way she looked."_

_I don't want to know. I want to tell him to stop right there, but I don't. Part of me wants to know exactly what he means, even when the other part of me dreads it. "I… I don't know what you mean…"_

"_Kami! She looked sad, Sayomi. She looked miserable and she probably thinks that it was all her fault." Gai's voice is rough and I can detect his anger making its presence known again. I don't want to admit it, but he truly does care about her as if she was his own. "I can't tell you how to treat your daughter, Sayomi. I have no right. But I can give you advice, from one youthful friend to another… Do not push her away." He turns around and, as he's leaving, he throws over his shoulder, "You're not the only one who's hurting." _

_His point hits home so hard, that I almost fall to my knees right then and there. Kami, I'm really selfish, aren't I?_

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **almost missed a step when they arrived at the hidden village Shin and Hiro had led them to. She gazed around in disorientation, trying to determine what was wrong with the picture. It hit her like a bucket of cold water. For a second her confidence faltered. The fear that she'd been trapped inside her head again invaded her. She pinched her arm subtly and grimaced when pain blossomed on the spot. Alright, this was real. But if that was so, then it meant that… this place was the same. It was exactly like she remembered minus a few altered details here and there.

_How can this be—_Tenten shook her surprise and smiled at Shin when she felt his dark gaze on her. It was imperative that she kept her cover intact. Fortunately, the man grinned like a schoolboy and continued to talk about the details that made this place special. Tenten was aware that the information could come in handy down the road, but she managed to spare only half of her attention. She nodded when necessary to give the impression that she was still listening while her eyes swept the deserted streets.

What was she looking for? The people she'd once known were long gone, weren't they? No amount of wishing them to appear down the market streets or near the city square would drag them from her mind into reality! She decided to not think about it as she followed a cheerful Shin down a side street.

Her plan to keep a blank mind failed soon enough. Tenten realized that what was bothering her was not the lack of familiar faces gazing out of opened windows. No, what was eerie was how they'd managed to replicate her old village so perfectly. More than that, she feared to know why they'd done it. It made no sense to her. Nobody, save her and her mom, had made it that night so why all the precautions? Had they moved the entire village because they feared that her mother would return to seek vengeance with the might of Konoha on her heels? Or had something else happened? Had they been kicked out by the other Clans, maybe? It seemed… plausible actually.

Tenten frowned. Could that really be it? Just as she was about to plunge deeper into that train of thought, Shin led them around the corner. Her mind froze with unpleasant surprise. She tried to gulp down saliva, but something was constricting her throat and she ended up coughing.

"Ai-sama, are you alright?" It was Naruto the one who got to her side first, touching her arm softly. She detected real concern lacing his voice and that got her mind working again. She couldn't blow it, not this time!

Tenten recovered her composure and waved him away lazily. "The dust is quite bothersome, isn't it?" She excused when she felt Shin's confused eyes and Hiro's suspicious ones on her. She added an innocent smile for good measure, blinking back her tears.

"Ah, of course. I forget that not everyone is used to that," Shin seemed satisfied with the explanation. "Though, if I may be so bold, by what I've seen of your skill you should have no trouble adjusting to the surroundings soon enough." He opened his arms as if to embrace her, "Come, you must be tired after such a long trek and we're almost at the compound."

Tenten was glad the shadows were concealing the strain in her smile. She didn't want him to touch her, not here were the ghosts of her past were starting to stir. Ai, on the other hand, would welcome the contact and the playfulness of subtle seduction. Therefore, not missing a beat, she stepped closer to him, allowing his hand to settle on the back of her shoulder and mimicking a small shudder of pleasure. Shin blushed slightly and gave her a look that would have devoured her if possible. With a satisfied smile, he proceeded to guide her down the street, their pace slower than before.

Tenten couldn't help it. She'd tried to guard her mind and heart against the vision, but this was too much. She came to a sudden halt when she reached the end of the familiar looking street. Kami-sama, it was the same! Why! WHY! This curse village… it was a mockery to her Tetsua blood! For there, before her, just across the Oschiro's compound, stood two wooden doors with a symbol painted in the rusty shade of blood. She stared at the closed doors as though they were the gates of hell. And for her, perhaps, they were. That symbol…she knew it by heart. She could trace it with eyes closed. It was the same symbol engraved on the hilt of her mother's sword. It was the symbol of her house -two swords crossed with a ribbon swirling around them.

"You've seen this before?" Shin was right beside her, his eyes following the path of her own. Tenten fought the urge to slap the hand that was still touching her. The heat from it felt like fire burning through the fabrics of her clothes and right into her skin. Her blood boiled and she felt her cheeks flushing against her will.

Tenten knew that the best thing to savage the awkward situation would be for her to laugh off her odd interest and even weirder reaction. She knew that Ai would simply shrug with indifference and walk away unaffected. Ai would never sacrifice sleep for something that had nothing to do with immediate power. This door, old and rotten, was the exact opposite of something that would earn Saito Ai's attention.

Yet, Tenten's feet were rooted in place. No amount of screaming at herself to keep calm could dissipate the tension hugging her body. She licked her lips and wished she had something to quell her parched throat.

"No." The word came out as a croak. She smiled with real embarrassment, cleared her throat and tried again. "No. I've never seen this before… but there's something about it…" She let her sentence die unfinished, hoping that Shin would not pursue it. What could she say? There's something about it that calls to me?

"This is a…," Shin began, struggling for a word, his discomfort with the subject plain as day.

"This is the crest of a Clan of betrayers," Hiro interjected with a sadistic grin. "You curious 'bout it, silver-dancer? Here, lemme show you what happens to people who mess with the Oschiros. I think someone like you will definitely enjoy _this_ _attraction_."

Before anyone could object, Hiro placed a hand on each door and used his humongous bulk to push them open. The creaking indicated that this place was not often visited, which gave Tenten the hope that it might be considered sacred by some. She didn't dwell too much on that. Hiro slipped inside and Tenten followed the man, not even bothering to try and read Shin's expression as she moved away. She hoped her team was taking notes on their enemies' body language because she was too busy riding an emotional rollercoaster that allowed room for little else.

She felt goosbumps as soon as she laid eyes on what was inside. It was a graveyard the likes of which she had never seen before. It was a valley of wooden crosses with bones chained into each and every one. She told herself to breathe and bit back a scream that lodged in her throat. Her heart was hammering loudly in her temples and it was by sheer will that her eyes didn't well with tears.

She took a deep breath and moved across the uneven ground. The crunching of dry leafs and breaking twigs intensified the ghostly look of the place. It seemed to her that even in this Mother Nature had lent a hand to mock her. How unfair…

Tenten walked on the narrow spaces between rows, from one to the next with mechanical precision. Hazel eyes jumped from name to name, straining to make out the carved letters with only the full moon as a light source. The names greeted her from just below the dangling feet of ivory skeletons, whose skulls seemed to follow her as she paid her respects.

It was an excruciating experience. Tenten recognized all of them and with every name a face popped into her head. These were the people she'd been looking for down those deserted streets. These were her people! Her Clansmen! She pushed down on her grief, embracing a numbness that came about with an overloaded mind. It was too much to take in at once and that was the only thing keeping her together. So she kept moving, afraid that if she lingered in one place the full reality of things would hit her.

Someone addressed her, but Tenten couldn't concentrate on anything save an itch in the back of her head. She felt something inside her wiggling and resonating with whatever laid ahead. So she moved inwards, into the bowls of the cemetery, afraid to lose the eerie connection that was pulling her forward like a magnet.

Through the spaces between crosses she recognized the glint of silver under moonlight. Her steps became longer; her breaths became shorter. She pushed her pace, holding onto the little bit of sanity left that told her not to break into a run. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she reached the spot that called to her.

Her hands fisted, nails digging into the coarse skin of her palms. She felt her limbs shaking uncontrollably. Her knees weakened, her weight tripled. She trained her eyes ahead and blinked a couple of times, hoping that the image would disappear. But what greeted her in the center of the clearing remained cold, impassive and very real.

She tried to look away, to forget the truth that had slapped her in the face, but she couldn't. He deserved better, didn't he? Without thinking she closed the distance and reached out to touch that silver face that had always greeted her with a smile. She was sure they could see her trembling like a leaf, but she was far from caring.

He deserved better.

Her eyes traced each and every line of the statue. It depicted a man on his knees, tears on his eyes, grief in every line of his face. His hand was stretched in front of him, fingers slightly flexed. Reaching. That's what he was doing. Underneath all of what hinted at painful defeat, Tenten managed to also read something else. Something that was powerful.

Love and loyalty.

"Isn't he lovely?" There was a sneer in Hiro's voice that felt like a plunged knife being twisted in her heart. "He was the last to fall, and his moment of defeat got frozen for all to see. I would say that's karma for you."

The man laughed and Tenten fought the urge to slice him into tiny pieces. She steeled herself against his words. Hiro was unimportant at the moment. She focused all of her attention back on the one who did deserve it. Kami, he deserved much better than this!

She moved closer still, her eyes chained to his. The detail in that face was such that she could count every one of his lashes. It was a statue of a man she remembered all too well, a man who was like a second father to her back before she lost her name.

She closed her eyes and leaned forward until her forehead was resting against his. The memory came tumbling down memory lane before she could stop it.

_He was sitting near the window, the kunai her dad had given her not too long ago in his hand. She'd asked him to help her polish it and so there he was, doing just that. She alternated between watching his hands working meticulously and the peaceful expression on his face. He was so handsome. _

"_Uncle, why haven't you married yet?"_

_His eyebrows rose a little at that. "I was married once."_

"_I know that… but don't you want to marry again? I mean, you are still very handsome." Tenten blushed when he switched his attention to her. His expression was one of surprise mingled with embarrassment. _

"_I guess I haven't found the right girl," he responded after a pause, his shoulders rising and then falling in a small shrug. _

"_Then… do you think I can be that girl one day?" Tenten crossed her fingers behind her, hoping he would say yes. There was no other guy, except her dad, who could compare to her uncle Yaemon. He was the perfect man and she wouldn't mind having him around all the time. _

_He chuckled, "Kami, Ten, you don't want me! You're seven! By the time you are of marrying age, I'll be just as old as Mama Bear!" _

_Tenten bit the inside of her cheek, wrecking her brain for a solution. "Then why don't you just marry me now," she offered. He laughed again which only made her feel more embarrassed and, therefore, mad. "Stop laughing! You aren't taking me seriously!" _

_She stood up and was about to storm away when he opened his arms in invitation. There was something about him which pulled her like a magnet and, anger momentarily forgotten, she ran into them and settled on his lap. She felt his arms wrapping around her and she closed her eyes, feeling completely safe. _

"_Do you love me, uncle?"_

_His arms squeezed her reassuringly. "You know I do. With all my heart, I love you most."_

_She closed her eyes, listening to his heart beating deep within his chest. "Then why can't it be you?" _

_He kissed her forehead, "Because one day you will find someone whom you will love even more than me. And on that day, when you join your life to his, you will make three men the happiest in the planet."_

"_Three?"_

"_The man you will marry, your dad and me."_

_Tenten thought about that. Gathering her courage, she decided to express her greatest fear. "If I marry someone else… will you still love me?"_

_She felt him rest his cheek on her head and in a whisper, he answered, "Always."_

Tenten opened her eyes and felt a tear roll down her check. She made no move to brush it aside, but instead let it stay as silent proof of her pain. How could she not grieve when she knew that this was not a statue? Despite every evidence to the contrary, Tenten also knew that this was far from beautiful.

This was a tomb, a gruesome one at that. And uncle Yaemon deserved better…

Without much thought, she closed her eyes and leaned forward, planting a lingering kiss on the lips of her uncle. She sensed the steel resonating and, for a moment, she thought she felt it become warm under her touch. No amount of wishing for her uncle to come back to life would make it so, however. Tenten knew much better than that.

She'd never tried it before, but she'd heard about it plenty. Back before she lost her past, that is. Now, confronted with this tomb, all of that information streamed into the forefront of her mind from wherever it had been stored.

_Resonance_, it was the Tetsua's biggest weapon which, if not handled carefully, became their biggest curse. Like every blade, this was double-edged and the person wielding the power was not always exempt from the damage done.

They called it Resonance when a Tetsua managed to call upon the steel in their blood, pulling it out in order to mold it into a weapon, armor or –in some rare cases, both. Even among the Testua Clan there were few able to successfully use Resonance for more than a few minutes. Tenten knew her Dad could. She'd seen him covered in an armor of steel when he'd fought Nobu, before her mom had pulled her along in her escape. Her Uncle had been able to call upon Resonance too, but in a more limited way, creating a blade of steel that merged with his arm…

_Only that cannot be true… for how else would you have ended up like this? I never knew you could do it too, uncle. I wish it hadn't ended this way for you… You deserved much better than this._

Tenten bit her lower lip to keep from crying. This was a horrible way to go. She'd heard what a Resonance gone wrong could do, but never in a million years could she have predicted that one of her own would go down this way. To be entombed and then crushed by all the steel in your body plus more absorbed from the outside… It was a slow, painful death wrapped in a deceiving shell of beauty.

She hated it.

Tenten's arms slipped around the figure's shoulders and she hugged him tightly, just like he would always do whenever she'd needed it. She hugged him to hide her pain and to ask for forgiveness. She hugged him seeking comfort where there was none to be found anymore. She hugged him out of respect but, most of all, out of love.

"What the hell you think you're doin'!" Hiro's voice was an incredulous snarl. She heard some shifting followed by the unsheathing of weapons and Akamaru's threatening growls. Tenten was aware that she needed to put out the fire before she got burned in its wake, but she couldn't bring herself to care just yet. So she clung to the figure more fiercely, not daring to spare even a glance in the direction of the commotion, else her bravado faltered. She needed to calm down. She needed to come up with a plan and she needed to do it soon.

"Hiro, stand down!" Shin's voice boomed louder than all the rest, giving Tenten time to get her emotions under control. There was tension cracking in the air, Tenten could feel it like electricity snapping at her back. "Ai-sama, please explain what's going on before blood gets spilled unnecessarily."

That was her cue to come back. It was her cue to let go of the past and face the future. It was her chance to salvage the situation before it became irreparable. Slowly, she turned to look at them, not letting go of the entombed man just yet. She allowed them a good look of her still tearful eyes before kissing the silver cheek of her Uncle softly. _Give me strength, Uncle._

"He's beautiful, isn't he?"

No one said anything, not even a member of her team. There was only the sound of the wind whispering through the night. If she strained her senses, would she hear her Clansmen speaking? Would she hear her uncle whispering…_always_?

Hazel eyes switched back to the silver man. "I may be a ruthless fighter, but I am not blind to beauty when I'm faced with it. I…," she licked her lips. "I find beauty in steel most of all and I have never before seen it so exquisitely carved." She smiled longingly at that frozen face. "If I didn't know better, Oschiro Shin, I would believe that this is the God of Silver and that, at any moment, I'll be able to wake him with a kiss."

"God! He was no God! He was a filthy traitor!" Hiro argued hotly, spitting on the ground as if to make his point even clearer than his glare was.

Tenten let go of the tomb then. Rising up to her full height she chuckled and rested her full attention on Hiro. Ai knew how to play at intimidation too. "He was no traitor to me… In my eyes he's simply beautiful," she smiled cheekily, daring him to contradict her.

Part of her wanted him to attack, to give her an excuse to carve him a new face, one with a permanent smile on his throat. But he didn't.

She cracked her shoulder, stretched languidly and continued in a cheerful tone, "Well, I think this was quite an intriguing _attraction _indeed. But I've had enough for today. I'm beat and ready for some shut-eye, so if you could lead me to my quarters, that would be lovely."

"Of course," Shin was the first to recover, though it took him a couple of seconds. "Please, follow me."

Tenten smiled and, before Shin could offer his arm, she took Lee's instead. Tenten's acting skills had a limit, after all. If Oschiro Shin touched her, he might wonder why she was still trembling. Considering how she'd behaved when she met Nobu, however, she knew that her mood swings wouldn't arise too much suspicion. To them, Ai was a twisted bitch and Tenten was not about to let an advantage such as that slip her by. The more confused Ai got them, the better it was for Tenten to conceal who she really was.

So with that in mind, she followed Shin out the Tetsua graveyard and down the road in silence. And all the while, she told herself to breathe, holding down the dam keeping her emotions from breaking her in half.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** let go of a breath he'd been holding since Tenten had entered the graveyard. He watched Saito Ai step inside the room Shin had led them to, completely composed. Neji knew better than to be deceived by her attitude. What happened must be killing her and he needed to do something soon, else she crumbled in front of an unwanted audience.

"Ai-sama will meet with you tomorrow," he told Shin, careful not to add too forceful a dismissal to his voice. He needed the man gone, but Ai's shadow would never dare speak with her voice.

"Indeed," Tenten's voice carried from behind him. "I'll be ready by eight at the latest."

Shin smiled, "Of course, take as long as you need to rest up. The next few days should prove to be less eventful than this night, let us hope." With that the man signaled Hiro to follow and they left down the hall, providing some much needed privacy.

As soon as Neji slid the door close he turned around and approached a tearful Tenten. She'd placed the tip of her coat in her mouth, biting down on it to avoid making noise. Yet still her wrecking sobs broke the silence, strangled screams slipping out her throat. His heart broke at the sound and, without hesitation, Neji wrapped his arms around her. His grip tightened when her knees went limp and, for a second, he struggled to keep her on her feet.

"Get her to the bathroom," Sasuke said, ordering Lee to go ahead and open all the faucets to muffle Tenten's cries.

Neji ignored the voice that wanted to oppose whatever the Uchiha had to say and instead did as told. The bathroom was already filling with vapor when he stepped inside. A silent Lee approached them, wanting to provide comfort with his presence if nothing else. He looked more solemn than Neji had ever seen him and below his eyes appeared lines of worry that must have been mirroring his own.

"Ten…" Lee whispered coarsely, combing down her hair. The touch brought about all of Tenten's pain to the surface and she fell to her knees, bringing Neji with her and subsequently Lee.

On the floor, with their most precious friend between them, Neji and Lee waited for the nightmare to subside. Neji hated this. He hated being unable to lift her pain as he'd done before, when he'd given her the journal to read.

Tenten was about to walk a path where there wasn't any room for him. The only thing he could do, would be to catch her if she stumbled. Neji hoped he would never have to do it, but he mentally prepared himself in case he did. No matter the cost to his person, he –no, him and Lee… they will never let her fall, not alone anyways.

**To be continued…**

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**AN: **Please don't be shy to point out any typos I might have missed. That actually helps! Thanks in advance!


	17. Silver Dragon

**Revised:** 6/03/2012

**Thanks again to my awesome reviewers:** Animewitch17, anthropomorphichybrid, Dokuritsu17, Eternal Cat Moon, Steenta112, Kenzinator, DarkAnonymous324 and anniewanny2.

**Author's notes: **There's not much action going on in this chapter, but hopefully you'll still be entertained. I'm starting to get things wrapped now and I believe some questions will finally be answered. Anyhow, thanks for all the support! I hope you like the chapter! ~**Enjoy**!

* * *

"_All human wisdom is summed up in two words; wait and hope."_

_~ Alexander Dumas ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 17: "Silver Dragon"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_Things have finally improved between us. They're not great, but they aren't bad either. I think that after my talk with Gai a month ago, I've changed. I am less angry and more understanding. The part of me that blames my child is still there, but the voice is merely a whisper which I hardly pay any mind to. _

_Tenten seems happier. I think that what she really wanted whenever she'd asked about her dad was to get to know me better. Am I being too self-centered when I think this? Maybe, but it helps me feel that I may not be a complete failure after all. _

_We take most of our meals together now. I have asked the Hokage for a break from missions, especially those that would keep me away from Tenten. I think I owe her more of my attention and time. I've put so much effort into mending my relationship with her, that I have even agreed to train her. I do not presume to be an expert in weaponry like Ryuu was, but I learned enough during my time with the Tetsua Clan. I gave her some pointers earlier today and I couldn't help but smile when she followed them and was later rewarded with a bulls-eye. _

_I think… I think we are going to be okay. I'm not just saying that, I really mean it. I still miss Ryuu terribly, but it's more bearable now. I have finally accepted his death I think, which has helped. And I've taken comfort in Tenten. If I can't have Ryuu, I should be happy to at least have a part of him, shouldn't I?_

"_You're done with that, mom?"_

_Tenten snaps me off my thoughts. For a while I stare at her confused. She raises an eyebrow and points at the empty dish before me. Of course, silly me, she's talking about the food. I give her a sheepish smile and hand her my dish. _

_I watch her rinse the dirty silverware. If I try hard enough, I can overlap her image with that of Ryuu. They are so similar it's eerie. He used to stand in the exact same way! I keep wondering if she got all her genes from him. Was I simply a vessel of some kind? I laugh at the idea. Kami, my thoughts can be so inane sometimes. _

"_What's so funny?" she asks, a smile gracing her face. _

_Gosh, she's beautiful! She looks just like her father! _

"_Nothing, honey. I was just—" _

_There's someone knocking. I turn to look at the watch hanging on the wall. Who could our late visitor be? Tenten turns off the faucet and she's about to head over to the door when it hits me. Three knocks a pause followed by two consecutive knocks. It's a code!_

_I gain my feet immediately and stop Tenten with a hand on her shoulder. She turns to me and her brow knits at whatever she sees in my face. I've most probably lost a couple of shades. How could I not? I've given that code to only a handful of people, all of which had been given one same instruction._

_I try not to get ahead of myself. I brace myself for the possibility of disappointment. Even so, part of me is hanging to a thin thread of hope. My heart is racing so loudly that I can hardly hear the insistent knock. _

"_Mom…?" Tenten whispers with undisclosed worry. Her eyes jump from me to the door and back again. I can see the gears in her head working, trying to connect the events. _

_I don't want to worry her. I… I have to do this alone. I cannot drag her into something that she can't even remember. Whatever I decide, it won't be fair to her. That much I know, but I chose to overlook it for now._

"_It's okay," I put both hands on her shoulders and make her look at me. "I had a mission some years ago. The person visiting is one of my contacts from that time. I hate to do this to you, Ten, but I need you to go to bed."_

"_Why? What's going on, mom?" There's an edge to her voice. I can tell she doesn't like the idea of being kept in the dark. For an eleven-year old, she's very observant. I know how to hide myself, though, and I don't hesitate to use my skills now -even if it is against my own daughter. _

_Putting on a mask of calm reassurance, I insist, "Honey, it's okay, don't worry. I'm alright. This is just confidential, you know how it is. I'm an ANBU and there are some secrets that it's my job to protect. You trust me, right?"_

_I'm playing her. Kami, Tenten, I'm sorry. I have to do it. I have to protect you again, even if by doing so I must lie. But I can't keep whoever is at the door waiting while I try to be more tactful with you! I can't! This might mean something precious to me, and to you as well! _

_Just please…fate, for once, let me get away with this! _

"_Alright…" She seems to struggle to say something. "You'll tell me if something is wrong, right?" Tenten squeezes my hands, locking her eyes with mine. She's trying to read me, but I'm a master at disguise. "You'll let me help if you are in trouble? Mom, I'm here. I'm not going to go away."_

_Tenten, how it hurts me sometimes that I can so easily deceive you. I do not deserve such unconditional love. I'm sorry. But I do love you. I truly do. At least you can trust that._

_I kiss her cheek and lie again, "I promise. Now go on. Have a goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow."_

_With only a backward glance she climbs the stairs and disappears. I'm standing at a metaphoric crossroad and I'm torn. I can't afford indecision right now, so I make my choice, hoping I won't regret it. I go to the door and pull it open. Behind it I find the cloaked figure of a short, burly man. I know him well. I used to work for him in a life that seems so distant now. He was the owner of the bar where I used to sing. The same bar where I met my husband. _

"_The dragon lives," he says and I almost drop to my knees with something that tastes like bittersweet relief. _

_Kami, he's alive! I can hardly think straight as the enormity of that one phrase hits me. I stagger away from the door, allowing him entry. I'm trembling, my knees feel like jelly. Somehow, I manage to lead him into the kitchen without losing my composure. I had planned on heating some tea for us, but my hands reach for the sake instead. I pour two small cups and drained mine in one gulp before pouring myself another glass. My eyes are tearful and I don't know if it's the alcohol or the news. Maybe it's a combination of both. _

_Ryuu, kami, I'm sorry! You are still alive and here I was, three years after our catastrophe, trying to accept your death! I was trying to forget you and I hate myself for it. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry! _

"_Tell me everything," I say, placing the sake before the tired man. _

_I take a seat before him, readying myself for whatever he's about to say. I am aware that if indeed what he says is true, then there's a good possibility that Ryuu has been tortured –hence, why my relief is bittersweet. I try not to think too much about that. I'll worry about it sometime later. Right now I need to be the Black Widow. Sayomi… she can't handle this properly._

_The man sips at his cup, sighs and starts his tale. I'm on the edge of my seat, listening intently, already making plans. My heart breaks and sings at the same time. He's alive. Kami, he's alive! But for how long? How long can one take what he has? How long before he breaks? No! I cannot think like this!_

_I push Sayomi aside forcefully, embracing the coldness of the Black Widow. This is it! I'm his only hope. It's up to me to bring him back! Fate better be on my damn side this time! _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **felt someone shaking her out of her slumber. Disoriented, she opened her eyes and groaned at the light from the window. She blinked and waited for her eyes to recover and focus on the person looming above.

"Neji," she whispered hoarsely, her throat feeling awfully dry.

With an apologetic look, he handed her a glass of water and unceremoniously pulled her up into a sitting position. Tenten bit back a colorful curse. She felt as though she'd just been trampled by a hoard of wild boars. Her body ached all over and her head seemed to be in the edge of exploding into a billion pieces.

"What time is it?" she asked, draining the glass in three gulps.

"It's almost eight," he answered, kneeling in front of her and peering at her face worriedly. More tenderly, he offered, "You don't have to face them today, you know? We can tell them Ai's not feeling well…"

She managed a strained smile but shook her head. As tempting as the offer was, she couldn't afford to raise any more suspicion than she might already have. Ai had told Shin she would be awake by eight and it was up to Tenten to make that happen. What was at stake was so important that she dared not disappoint her host in the slightest.

"I'm fine," she lied, closing her eyes when she felt his hands caressing her cheek and then combing back her disheveled hair. If only they could be given more time together, more privacy… more happiness…

"Alright, it's your call," he sighed, pulling away. Tenten immediately missed his touch. Much as she wanted to, she didn't ask him to stay for a while longer. They both had a job to do. "I'll be just outside. The guys are all up and ready."

Tenten nodded her thanks. "I'll be out in a sec. Make sure they don't get in trouble while I'm absent, okay?"

He smiled back at her, but it was just as weak as hers had been. She wished she'd been able to come up with something better, but yesterday had been hard on her. Too hard. She watched him leave with mixed feelings. Part of her wanted him to hold her some more even as another part was restless at getting started. As soon as he closed the door, she pressed the heel of her palms into her aching eyes and allowed herself a moment of panic.

How? How was she supposed to do this? How could she face the ones who wiped her Clan with a smile? What if they found out? What if by coming here she allowed them to finish the job? It was only her and their prisoner left, after all. The survival of the Tetsuas was resting in their shoulders, and Kami, it was such a heavy load!

She stood up and walked towards her dusty traveling bag, trying not to get overwhelmed by her thoughts. She knelt before it and leaned forward, resting her forehead on the nearby wall. She closed her eyes as another point danced its way across her mind. How was she supposed to face her own team?

She groaned, knocking her head on the wall twice. Kami, it was so embarrassing! She was so ashamed! How had she allowed herself to break down in front of all of them? She'd tried her best to maintain a strong front, but in the end she'd failed! She'd cried most of the night and even when she'd sort of calmed down, she'd still pulled both Neji and Lee into bed with her. Like a child, she'd snuggled between them and whimpered. Even the shadows could not hide the fact that she'd cried her eyes out for Kami knew how long!

She took a deep breath. There was no use thinking and regretting what had happened. She couldn't change her decisions or her inevitable reaction. What she needed now was to re-build her strength and do everything in her power to protect her cover. She would worry about the awkward episode sometime later. Perhaps if they all made it out alive, she would treat the guys to a nice meal and then threaten them with pain if they spoke a word of what happened to anyone else. She filed the idea away for further consideration and cleared her mind.

Determined to see all of this through, she rummaged through her things searching for something suitable to wear. "This will do," she murmured, taking out the clothes with which she'd started her journey.

It seemed fitting, somehow, to wear them now. It could be because they still smelled a little like the forest of Konoha. Or maybe it was because while wearing them, she'd found out she had her team back. Wouldn't that make this a lucky outfit? Kami knew she would need all the luck she could get in the days to come! Whatever the reason, she stood up and pulled the brown garment over her black body suit.

Satisfied with the decision, she moved towards the vanity next. Instinctively she parted her hair and started gathering half of it into her regular bun. She stopped when she noticed her mistake and, berating herself, decided to keep it down for once. She finished getting ready in silence. She forced her mind to stay away from anything that had to do with the previous day. Today would either make her or break her, depending on how good Ai's performance was.

Sitting before the mirror, Tenten glared at the half-moons under her eyes. She looked far away from lovely. Simply put, she looked just like she'd felt the night before. Horrible. She went to her bag and pulled a make-up kit Ino had given her two years ago as a birthday present.

Tenten's lips quirked in a small smile. Who knew this would ever come in handy? She silently thanked Ino and proceeded to apply a light layer of makeup. It was enough to hide the evidence of her restless night, without altering the natural look both Ai and Tenten preferred.

She leaned back on the chair once she was done, trying to relax the tension in her shoulders and neck. Tenten realized with some frustration that she hadn't yet come up with a plan to get to the Tetsua prisoner. Tenten had assumed she would have time to discuss that with her team last night. However, things had gone downhill from the moment they'd arrived and she herself was to blame. Had she kept on moving instead of gawking at those doors, none of this would have happened.

She glared at her reflection, cursing herself for her lack of discipline and ingenuity. She wished Shikamaru was here. He was the one who could think five steps ahead! Unlike her, who seemed to drag behind every plan, even those she herself had come up with! Unfortunately, he wasn't here and it was up to her to come up with something. Who knew? Perhaps, when she least expected it, a bout of inspiration would hit her!

With a last look at the mirror, she stood up, squared her shoulders and marched towards the door. She took a moment to take a deep breath and put on her Ai mask. Taking hold of the handle, she slid the door open. Tenten found her team waiting down the corridor in the company of none other than Oschiro Shin.

"Alright, here we go." She murmured, stepping out.

She felt her lips quirking genuinely when she noticed Akamaru had stayed behind to guard her door. She leaned down and gave him a scratch behind the ear, just like she knew he liked. He wiggled his tail, barked his thanks and followed her as she made her way towards the group. Tenten forced herself to smile sweetly when all attention switched to her.

"Good morning, Oschiro Shin. I trust my boys haven't caused you and yours any trouble?" She put her hand out in greetings. Instead of shaking it, Shin took it and kissed the back of it. It took effort to keep from making a face that would betray her real feelings.

"None at all. We were just talking about the weather, actually. Quite a boring subject, I'm afraid. Then again, everything just seems so dull when you're absent," Shin recited charmingly, offering her his arm. Having no other choice, she took it. "Come, everyone's waiting to meet you."

"Will your dad be there?" She asked casually, as they made their way deeper into the compound. The sound of conversing people became louder with each step.

"Of course! I believe he'll be very pleased to meet you. I've told him plenty about you already."

Tenten smiled playfully, "All of it good, I hope."

Shin flashed a smile of his own, "When it comes to you, Saito Ai, I find no other kind."

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** resented the bandages around his eyes. At the time he'd come up with the solution to hide his identity, the disguise had seemed like a good idea. It wasn't the case now. Though the best course of action for him would have been to remain near the door with Naruto, as their team had previously discussed, the idea of Sasuke taking his place near Tenten did not bode well with him. Thus, against all reason and opposition, he'd stubbornly glued himself to Saito Ai.

"I'm her shadow," he'd reminded them sternly. Since Tenten, who was running this operation, had raised no objections, the decision had been settled and they'd left it at that.

Now, here he was, trying not to hit anyone as part of him regretted his stubbornness. Neji fought the urge to activate his byakugan for the twentieth time as he followed Tenten around the room. He basked in momentary relief whenever she would stay put in one place. No matter how much he wanted to believe that he could navigate with his other senses, it wasn't really the case. The room was so crowded, that he ended up relying heavily on Akamaru and Lee to keep him from bumping into anyone and making an ass of himself. So far it was working.

Neji zeroed on Tenten's voice, listening to her carry on a conversation with a silver tongue. He soon realized that the worry he'd harbored this morning was baseless when it came to her skills. She was handling herself so incredibly, that he couldn't help but be amazed. She moved around the place as though she was the hostess instead of the other way around. She slipped into conversations casually and, without forcing it, took control of them; spinning them around with the same ease she did her kunais.

Tenten charmed, laughed and sometimes, to his chagrin, she seduced men and women alike with nothing but her words. Neji could feel the crowd being drawn to her presence, so that every couple of steps, she was stopped by someone who wanted a minute of her time. She denied no one and Neji wished he could see her, dancing in an element he never knew she was a master of.

Tenten started to walk away from a group of elderly men. Neji was about to follow, only to feel Lee's hand on his arm, stopping him. He heard a subsequent huff, a bark and a thud coming from somewhere in front of him. Without thinking, he activated his byakugan, having recognized Tenten's voice in that short huff. He zeroed on her chakra signature, hurrying to her side and steadying her with a hand on her lower back.

Neji then focused on the person who'd bumped into Tenten and who was currently in the process of regaining her feet. He wanted to be suspicious, but it was hard when being confronted by a much weaker signature. He could tell, without the need of his sight, that it belonged to a shorter and slimmer woman. He allowed his muscles to relax slightly, but kept his guard up.

"Oh, K-Kami, I –I didn't mean…I-I'm s-s-o so so so sorry!" The girl stuttered out the apology with some difficulty, her mortification evident in her tone. By how her signature kept moving, Neji guessed she was adding several quick bows for emphasis. "A-are you hurt? Did I hurt you? Are you alright? Oh, Kami-sama, it wasn't m-my intention. I—"

"Don't worry your cute little head about it." Tenten chuckled softly, trying to make light of the situation. When the girl continued to be mortified, she was quick to reassure, "Trust me, it takes a lot more than that to hurt me."

Neji was about to deactivate his byakugan, not wishing to waste any more chakra than was strictly necessary, when he felt someone approaching and thought better of it.

"Reina!" A familiar voice called, stealing the spotlight for a moment.

"Sh-Shintaro!" The girl seemed surprised to see him and embarrassed all at the same time. However, underneath that, Neji could detect a hint of happiness as well.

"What happened? Are you alright?" Shin's voice was gentle but filled with worry. He took her shoulders and knelt, inspecting her from head to toes in search for injuries. Neji thought he was overreacting but reminded himself not to speak.

"Y-yes, I'm alright, brother," Reina assured him.

"Reina… what are you doing here? You know you can't just wander around without supervision! What if something had happened to you?" Shin's voice became stern. Yet he still managed to keep his tone rather warm. It was clear he cared a lot about his sibling, which was something Neji hadn't considered before. In his mind, all the Oschiros were ruthless bastards. He wished the image hadn't been broken. Knowing this side of their enemies could potentially make things difficult for Tenten.

"I-I know. I'm so sorry, Shintaro… It's just that… I… I heard about," she stopped and turned her body slightly towards Tenten. "I heard that someone was coming… and I thought that maybe… you know…"

Shin sighed, combing the girl's hair absently. "I understand, Reina. You just need to let at least your nana or one of your guards know before you pull stuff like this. You have no idea how worried I was –how worried _father_ was when we got the news that they couldn't find you!"

Reina sniffed. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to trouble anyone. I just wanted to meet her, is all." The girl seemed to remember what had happened, because suddenly she was apologizing to Tenten again.

"Did something happen before I came?" Shin asked confused.

Tenten swiftly took the blame, "Oh, nothing really. I was just so distracted by the charm of this place, that I ended up bumping into your lil' sister here." Her hand shot out and she ran her long fingers down the girl's hair seductively, playfully. "However much I wish it was otherwise, I think it's me the one that should be apologizing. It's not often someone manages to breach my guard so easily."

"I'm so sorry!" The girl piped in, sounding even more embarrassed than before.

Tenten laughed lightheartedly. "What a funny little girl, you are. Are you sure you're this one's sister? Well, never mind. More important than that, I don't think we have been properly introduced. My name's Saito Ai and it has been a delight meeting you, Oschiro Reina."

"M-me too. I mean, it's nice meeting you," the girl said, trying to keep her voice cheerful but not quite getting it right.

She must have not only sounded but looked disappointed, because Tenten asked after a short pause. "Is something the matter? Where you expecting another name, perchance?"

"Ah, no! I'm sorry! It's just that… you looked like someone I used to know," Reina admitted, leaning on her brother a little, as if seeking support. "And for a moment I thought…"

"Aha, I see. So, I'm guessing this person was important? Or I hope so, at the very least. If I'm to be confused with someone, I rather she was someone of note," Tenten pursued, her voice quivering slightly for a second.

Thankfully, the slip seemed to have gone unnoticed saved for him, which wasn't weird considering Neji knew her much more than anyone else present. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Tenten knew this girl. Could they have been friends before Tenten lost her Clan? Neji didn't know how young the girl was but maybe…

"She was a precious friend of ours." It was Shin the one who answered, "But she's long gone. Reina misses her so much, that she keeps thinking she'll come back one day."

Before more could be asked or said, Neji noticed an unfamiliar charka signature moving towards them. The strides where long, and whoever it was, parted the crowd so easily, that he was upon them in no time.

"Reina," the voice belonged to an elderly man. Neji wished he could pull his bandages off when he noticed how that one word had rendered the people around them –including Shin- quiet. This man was important, that much was clear.

"F-father," the girl called back, embarrassed all over again.

"What were you thinking, young girl," he chided, but his voice –like Shin's—was more worried than mad. Without missing a beat, he swoop the girl into his arms, holding her gently. "You can hardly stand. You're not strong enough to pull a stunt like this, you know that! Your brother and I were worried sick!"

"I'm sorry…"

"I apologize. I believe this might have been my fault in an indirect way," Tenten interjected, sounding as though she truly meant it.

"You are- ah, I apologize for my discourtesy, I didn't see you there," the man admitted coolly, noticing Ai for the first time. "I'm Oschiro Ryota, head of the Clan."

"A pleasure, I'm Saito Ai."

The man chuckled softly, "I would think you could be no other."

"Right," Tenten sounded flustered.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you too. I apologize in advance for having to cut my meeting with you short," Ryota explained, not waiting or caring for any objections. "I want to get this one to her room before she gets herself injured. I trust that you'll be staying with us for a while, so I'll make sure to seek you out later, if that's alright."

"Of course, it'll be an honor."

With that, the man left with his daughter, leaving Shin behind with them. As soon as he'd stepped out of the room, the conversation around them resumed as thought nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"I know you've heard this quite a bit today, but I apologize too for what happened," Shin said, sounding more truthful than simply polite this time.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Tenten assured with a lazy wave of a hand. "I'm curious, though, why all the fuss? I'm mean, she's what? Sixteen, seventeen maybe? Granted, she looks a little frail, but she's hardly a child that needs to be led around by the hand!"

Shin sighed, but Neji noticed the flow of his chakra being disrupted by tension. Neji wished he could warn Tenten, but there was no way for him to do it subtly.

"She's eighteen. And unfortunately, she is much more frail than she looks. You see, Reina was born with a weak immune system. Even staying too long under the sun often results in her skin getting badly burned. She's also prone to get sick constantly and her bones have broken so many times, she might as well be made of crystal."

"Is that why she's so pale and her hair is so white?" Tenten asked, her tone slightly softer. Neji could see she was struggling to keep Tenten from pushing Ai out of the way. Saito Ai was a narcissistic woman that hardly cared about anyone else.

"That's right. I do my best to protect her but—oh, how very rude of me. Listen to me bore you!" Shin chuckled, covering his real emotions under the mask of politeness. It seemed to Neji that Tenten was not the only one hiding. "I'm sure there are other things you would prefer to talk about?"

"Actually, I was just wondering if I may be allowed to check out the rest of the premises," Tenten introduced the subject casually, not making a big deal out of it when it was actually quite important.

"Of course, how silly of me not to offer. I can give you a tour, if you want," Shin sounded excited, but there was an edge to his voice that did not go unnoticed.

Tenten pounced on it. "Give me some credit, Shin. It's clear to me that you wish to spend some time with your sister. I may be ruthless but I'm not heartless as to keep you from her any more than is needed! I'm a big girl and capable of taking care of myself."

"Oh, It's no tro—"

"Come, Shin, do not worry. I'm sure I can find my own way around the place without getting into trouble. I'm always up for a little adventure. Plus, if I'm to become part of the Clan, wouldn't it be better if I become more acquainted with the place and the staff on my own?" She paused to let him digest this before turning the table, "Unless, you think I need a babysitter…"

It was her way of asking if he trusted her. It was a way of putting all his words on the line. She was playing him, but she was too charming for him to notice. Unsurprisingly, the strategy worked.

"Of course not!" He amended hastily. "I'll make sure the guards know that you are free to wander around and get more acquainted with the place. If you have any questions, though, feel free to ask for me and I'll come find you immediately."

Neji could feel Tenten was smiling when she said, "I will. Now go to your sister and let her know that I'll be around if she ever wants to converse with me again. She's quite a lovely sight, and I'm an avid fan of beauty."

"Thank you. I'll let her know." He turned around to leave but then stopped when he remembered something. "I trust I will see you at dinner?"

"Naturally. I have yet to speak to your father properly," Tenten pointed out.

"And my uncle," Shin added, almost as if it had been an afterthought.

Neji noticed a disruption in Tenten's chakra. He could tell she was angry and afraid all at the same time. For a moment, he was sure she would snap or give away her feelings, but he was proven once again wrong. Tenten sure knew how to keep her mask on.

"I can't wait," she almost purred. Shin nodded, a bit flustered by the tone, (his chakra told him as much) and disappeared into the crowd.

Neji allowed himself a small smirk. He felt Tenten's hand taking a hold of his arm. She was still shaking slightly, so he pressed her hand against his side, wishing he could just hold her but knowing that would cause an unwelcome scene.

"Deactivate, Neji. You need to conserve your energies. I'll lead my shadow out," she whispered sensually, probably more to keep the pretence of Ai's sultry personality than anything else. Still, it made Neji's heart race.

Doing as told, he allowed himself to be guided through the crowd. Eventually they reached the rest of their team and, with a short explanation of what had happened and what needed to be done, they slipped out the door unhindered.

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **stopped in front of a wooden, old, inconspicuous-looking door. She struggled to see something special about it, but there was nothing there save a layer of dust. It was that, above all else, what had stolen her attention as they'd walked down this corridor. They'd already seen most of the Compound and all the other doors were rich in their design and, more importantly, pristinely kept.

Yet this one was moist and rotting at the edges. The handle was rusty and she was sure that, if she opened it, she would be able to hear the wood moaning in response. Everything pointed to this being the right place. This was it. This was the door that would lead her to the basement. The same place where they were keeping the person she'd come to rescue.

She glanced around, noticing the solemn expressions of her team. They were waiting for her, applying no pressure even when she knew that at any time, someone might come and snatch their window of opportunity. She strained her senses, trying to detect intruders nearby. Intruders? Perhaps she ought to find a better word. For wasn't she, herself, the intruder?

She shook her head, pushing the strange thought aside. This was what she always did when she was nervous. It was like that time when they were about to enter the arena and all she could think about was the sand.

Naruto shifted his weight beside her and that seemed to finally break the spell she'd been under. Tenten wiped the sweat off of her palms for what felt like the hundredth time. Feeling herself start to tremble, she took hold of the fabric of her yukata, wrinkling it as her hands fisted. Kami, she was so nervous she felt like she was going to get a heart attack at any moment.

"You ready?" Neji asked her, pulling away the blanket of oppressing silence. Tenten took comfort in his presence. He seemed so calm and collected, unlike her. She wondered if he would stay the same if it was Hinata the one they would be rescuing. The slight resentment in the thought shamed her. It wasn't Neji's fault, it was Nobu's!

She sighed deeply, rolled her shoulders and gave Neji the signal to open the door. He pushed it open, the wood creaking in its hinges, just like she knew it would. A gust of crisp wind slapped her across the face. Why was this place so cold?

Neji was the first on the stairs. He activated his byakugan and began his descent. Earlier, he'd pulled his bandages down, allowing them to hang around his neck. For some reason, Tenten found herself looking at the white strip instead of at him as the distance between them stretched. Tenten watch him almost in a trance until he disappeared within the darkness ahead. She shook her head and was about to follow, when she remembered that she was in charge.

"Sasuke, Naruto," she called. "One of you should stand guard at the corner with Akamaru, the other should stay at the door. If you see someone coming, knock thrice. I don't think we'll have enough time to come back up, but we'll know to get ready to be interrupted."

"Understood, Ai-sama," Sasuke said, keeping appearances just in case they were overhead. Beside him, Naruto took Akamaru's leash and led him away, flashing her a thumbs up before turning around to do his appointed task.

Tenten nodded at both men before turning to Lee. She smiled a little when he gave her two-thumbs up and one of his signature smiles. He was determined to lend his support and she loved him for it. Lee was like a brother she could never really get mad at.

"Alright, let's go," she said, more to herself than to Lee. With short steps, she began to climb down carefully. The place became darker and moister with each step. Soon, a powerful scent made her scrunch her nose. It smelled as though something inside was dead and rotting. She fought her gag reflex, holding onto the cold walls to keep from slipping and probably breaking her skull. When her foot slipped sideways, she yelped and instinctively closed her eyes. But Lee's quick reflexes kept her from plummeting down head first.

She sighed, half-hugging him in thanks. She could feel her heart beating in her throat and she had to take a moment to calm herself. Kami, she hated this! Part of her hoped that she would not find the Testua prisoner here, even if her other part would be disappointed.

"You must be more careful, Tenten," Lee said, keeping his hand on her arm for good measure. She guessed he could tell that the slip had shaken her more than it should. Maybe it was because of the amount of things that were at stake?

Tenten turned to look at him only to notice something else. It was clear in his eyes. What had happened yesterday had left him unsure as to her state of mind. Tenten wished she could spare the time to explain to him what had really happened but there was no time.

Wanting to reassure him that she was as fine as she could be with the situation, she chuckled. Lightheartedly, she promised she would be more careful, throwing in a small joke. That seemed to do the trick. Lee smiled with relief and followed her as she made her way downstairs. Tenten figured she might continue at a much slower pace, given that whoever was down there would have no urgent appointment to meet. A part of her chided her morbid humor, even as the other part applauded it.

Once they reached the basement, they found Neji waiting for them with a quirked eyebrow.

"What took you guys so long?" he asked, crossing his arms and frowning when he noticed Lee's hand on her shoulder.

Tenten smiled at him, patted Lee's hand softly in thanks and then shrugged their concern off. She scanned the room, squinting at the shadows in the far end. She saw some movement there and knew immediately that they were on the right place. She closed her eyes and touched her heart. She felt something inside her wriggling. It was just like what she'd felt yesterday in the cemetery. Only this call was much stronger and…insistent.

"He's down there," Neji said when he noticed the spot she was inspecting. "He's alone… and tired."

"I know," she whispered, pain starting to blossom inside her.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Neji asked, despite the fact that the room wasn't that big. Tenten knew what he meant, but she didn't want to approach him holding the hand of someone else. She didn't want to give him the impression that she thought he was a threat to her. He was much too precious for her to hurt him like that.

"Stay here," she ordered. "I must do this alone. I owe him as much."

As she started to walk, she heard Lee asking Neji in a whisper about the identity of the prisoner. If Neji answered, she didn't hear. What she did hear, was a deep voice coming from ahead.

"Who are you?"

Tenten continued to approach.

"What do you want?"

When she was three steps away, she halted. He was sitting on the floor, crossed legged, looking regal despite the filth in his rags. She could see the silver in his eye socket and hand glinting under the light of a dimming torch to the right. Most of his face was covered in shadows, but Tenten knew exactly who he was. She'd known him from the moment she'd laid eyes on him.

He moved his face slightly to the side, allowing the light to chase away some of the shadows. Her eyes jumped down to his neck. When he'd moved, she'd heard the unmistakable sound of chains. Sure enough, he was wearing a thick leash, the end of it securely locked to the wall.

"Do you know me?" he asked.

Tenten managed a slow nod as an answer. Kami, how had he made it all this time?

"Do I know you?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly. Could he know her as well? Could he remember her?

"Yes," she croaked with emotions.

"Who are you?" he asked more softly, his own voice overflowing with hope and, at the same time, fear.

There was no struggle or hesitation this time as she answered with the honest truth; throwing Ai's mask off for the time being.

"Here they know me as Saito Ai," she began, taking another step towards his form. "Back home they know me as Tenten." She saw his eye widen and she gave another step, closing the distance. "My mom sometimes used to call me her silver dancer." She knelt and there were tears in her eyes as well as in his. In a whisper she finished, "my dad called me his champion of steel."

What the Oschiros hadn't done, she did. Tenten broke him. The regal, strong and cool man in front of her hunched down unbefitting, raising his hands and hiding his face, his pain, his tears from her... In a blink, he seemed to have aged ten years. He looked frail and lonely and tired. Sobs were soon ripped out of his throat by emotions long overdue. They were so honest and raw that they broke her heart. She pulled him to her and he allowed it, holding onto her like a drowning man. She knew that she would never be able to let go of him again, not after finally finding him.

"Why did you come?" he demanded, frustration tainting his tone. "It was only you being safe what kept me going… Why did you have to come?"

Tenten kissed his cheek lovingly, fighting her own sobs. In as steady a voice she could muster, she admitted, "Because it's my time to save you… dad."

**To be continued…**


	18. Spiraling Secrets

**Revised:** 6/03/2012

**Thanks again to my awesome reviewers:** Animewitch17, anthropomorphichybrid, Dokuritsu17, Eternal Cat Moon, Steenta112, DarkAnonymous324, anniewanny2, GoldenDragonClouds, Sayori Hollyhood, Kaefa, Just Lovely and Sharrinegan.

**Author's notes: **I think this is the Black Widow's journal I enjoyed writing the most. There's something about a mentally fractured character that appeals to me. Anyhow, this chapter overall ended up longer than I had planned! I guessed the confrontations were more intense than I thought and so I had to push some scenes to the next chapter instead of having them in this one. ~**Enjoy**!

**Typos pointed out by:** _Just Lovely._

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"_It is true that I have had heartache and tragedy in my life. These are things none of us avoids. Suffering is the price of being alive."_

_~ Judy Collins ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 18: "Spiraling Secrets"**

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_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_I don't know where to start. It's been hours since my contact left. I know that there are procedures to things like assembling a team for a rescue mission, but I can't seem to sit still long enough to conceive a plan. _

_I end up in the street before I know it. My feet eventually take me to the Hokage's tower. My words stumble out of my mouth in disarray. I'm trying to set up an emergency meeting, but I only get a stern look from the ANBU guarding the door. He listens to me politely but tells me to return at a better time. I want to slap the indifferent man across the face but that would just complicate things. _

_They won't help me, will they? I've never been fate's favorite child and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Of course, the guard is just doing his job. He's not to blame, not really. What I need… he doesn't know that it cannot wait! I cannot wait. Ryuu he… he…_

_Kami, even as I try to calm myself, a part of me can't stop imagining all sorts of horrible things. I can picture my husband being mistreated by Nobu and his cruel men. Kami, I left him. How could I have done that? I left him behind! I left him to pay for something that I set in motion. It was me who waltzed my way into his life only to end up destroying his entire Clan. It was me the one who exchanged the first blow with the Oschiros! It all happened because of me and my selfishness! It hurts so much… so damn much…_

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

_I wish I knew a better way to express my sorrow. No matter how many times I write those words, they don't seem to cut it. _

_I can't do it anymore! I can't stay and wait and try to explain everything. I can't afford to waste any time trying to convince Kami-knows how many people before my problem even reaches the ears of the Hokage. I'm good at manipulating but not at pleading and somehow I don't think I can work my way to the top with only my silver tongue. Not this time. _

_I wish I was more humble so that I could fall to my knees and beg for an audience, but my pride gets in my way. I wish I was a better person. I wish a lot of things, but I'm sound enough in the head to know that I will have to fight for them. Nobody is going to give me anything. My mother was right when she told me that I should never ask for something, that I should just take it instead! _

_I go back home and sit at the kitchen table. I don't bother to switch the light on; shadows always seem to suit me best. I lean forward, putting my head on my hands, and I try to think about my options. I have no one that I trust enough to come with me. Even if I had, I don't think I would ask them to. It's bad enough that I destroyed so many people that I loved already. _

_You know, I just realized something: I'm a loner. No matter how much I want to pretend otherwise, in the end, I rather my life be the only one in my hands. Is it so wrong that the first thing that comes to my mind are my own feelings? I want to protect myself not from my own death, but from those who might die by my choice…_

_That last thought makes up my mind. I stand and hurry upstairs to my room. I go to my closet and grab the bag I've packed with the necessary items for a long trip. I always have it at a ready just in case a mission might come up at the last minute. I'm about to head downstairs when my feet stop cooperating. I'm at that same crossroad again. Should I choose my husband or my child? Why must everything have to be a decision for me? _

_I turn towards her room. Her door is slightly open. There's enough light coming in from the window for me to make out her figure in the bed. I count the seconds between breaths and am relieved when I find she's deep asleep. I think about going to her and kissing her forehead goodnight... perhaps even goodbye. But I can't. Seeing her might make me rethink my intentions. Seeing her might break my resolve. It will not be fair to Ryuu. No matter what I chose, I always seem to end up hurting Tenten… _

_I close my eyes, pulling my emotions back into their proper place –in the back of my head, locked in a tight box so that reason can play its part. I walk down the stairs in silence and go to the door without glancing back. I need to be strong. _

_I pull the front door open, ready to leave, only to find someone there, stopping me in my tracks. Maito Gai. My only friend; the closest thing I have to a confidant. He knows my plan and he doesn't try to hide what he thinks about it. I can see his anger and disappointment battling for dominion of his heart. Which one will win, Gai? I can't help but wonder about his feelings. Is he angry that I was about to leave without bidding him goodbye? Or is he disappointed at realizing that I had no intention to ask him to tag along? That despite his constant presence, I still consider mine a lonely existence… _

_This confrontation is long overdue. He doesn't have to pull my teeth out in order to get answers out of me. For once, I'm speaking before I even notice. I tell him about my plans in quick, curt sentences. Gai continues to stand there, unmoving, listening to my speech. He's just outside my door, soaked to the bone and still barring my way by the time I finish. The determination that I see in his eyes slowly transforms into frustration which later gives way to… surrender. _

_I know right then and there that he still loves me, even after all my cruel words and actions. Gai, how can your heart be this resistant? What is your secret? Why can't I just be happy with you and throw everything else to the wind? Why did I grow a heart? Was this why the Black Widow wept inside me when I did? Did she see all this tragedy coming? Did she know how many people would end up getting hurt because of me? Did she really weep? Or did she laugh at my stupidity? Is the Black Widow me, or was it always her, my monster of a mother? _

_It doesn't matter. Those questions are inconsequential at the moment. Gai has realized by now the same thing I did long ago. I have only one heart –small as it might be- and I gave it away already. Gai, I need you to understand that I cannot accept your love. Because no matter how much you insist otherwise, your love is not enough to fill the void 'he' left. _

_I love him. I love him so much it hurts. I love him so much I ache to see him again, even if he is the last thing I see in this world. I love him so much that even Tenten, his most precious daughter, comes second. I love him so much, that even the Black Widow trembles at the thought of him in pain! _

"_Give me a day, Sayomi, and I'll get you the best team! We can do this together! Just give me one day," he says, his voice pleading. He sounds just like he did when he came to see me that one fateful day and screwed my life up with his presence. _

_I can't, Gai. I've tried, truly I have! Yet, I can't forgive you! More than that, I cannot wait. I must not wait! Especially not for you… you who came into my life like a storm and left me drowning in your wake. _

_He must have sensed my anger because his shoulders hunch forward and his head tilts downward almost as if in shame. He looks so tired and so much older. The confidence that has always been his constant companion seems to have deserted him in a rush. I tell myself not to think too much about his pain. He made this! He took Ryuu away! He shattered my happiness and destroyed my life! He alone is to blame! _

"_Let me come with you, at least," he offers, perking up a bit. "I won't take long. I have a bag ready, just let me go get it and we can be off." _

_Damn it, Gai! All you do is make me feel guilty. I feel shame at my anger. I feel shamed by the dark thoughts that plague me. How can I not feel this way? I know he means it. One look at his honest, big eyes is all I need. But can you not understand, Gai? I can't accept your love any more than I can accept the life that you want to give me. I have no right to put your life in jeopardy. More than that, I have no wish for another ghost to haunt my sleep and my waking thoughts. I want to keep hating you, because that's what I need to keep walking down this path. I need to fully wake the Black Widow if I'm to stand a chance…_

"_You can't come, Gai. This is not your fight," I say coldly. My hands are fisted and I have the sudden urge to punch something. I refrain, trying to ease some of my tension by taking deep, calming breaths. _

"_Wherever you go, I go. Sayomi, I want to go with you. I want to be with you…" His voice quivers and he ends up with the last phrase in a whisper I barely hear. I detect tears rolling down his cheeks despite the steady rain. _

_Kami! It is never an easy thing to hurt you, Gai. For three years, I thought you and Tenten were all I had left. So I gave them to you. Sayomi gave you three years without much animosity, but the Black Widows's back and she's so damn angry! _

_Sayomi whispers inside of me and plants an idea in my head. I push the Black Widow down for a while and bring Sayomi fully out. She's the only one that can get through to him, I think. She's also the only one that cares enough about Gai and Tenten to find a solution for my guilt. _

"_Gai, for the love you bear me, I ask only one thing," I say. His eyes are wistful and it hurts a little to see that much hope in them. The Black Widow screams, but I keep the wail locked inside my head. Nobody but me can hear her today. "Take care of my daughter as if she was your own."_

"_Sayomi, listen to yourself! Listen to what you're saying! You're already killing yourself!" He is angry at me because I speak the truth without embellishments. I cannot guarantee my life anymore than I can guarantee my death. I am a realist and I know the odds are not in my favor, no matter how much I wish to believe otherwise. _

_The Black Widow is wide awake by now. Her fury fuels my determination, making me tremble. Am I going insane? Is this what insanity feels like? I shake those questions aside. I don't know. I don't care. I'm as ready as I can ever be. I'm about to head into the heart of a ruthless Clan with zero backup. Once I step out of Konoha, I might even be considered a rouge ninja. I do not see this as a problem. If anything, this last is an incentive. Once I leave I cannot come back, not without Ryuu at least. This is my bulletproof plan against faltering in my objective. Once I leave I can only look forward, I can only walk forward –towards Ryuu and away from Tenten. _

"_I will do everything in my power to come back," I tell Gai. I have no faith in my words, but I have a silver tongue. I use it now. I use it to lie and deceive. I think that's my nature. I'm the Black Widow, first and foremost, and that can never change. "But I will either bring him back with me, or I'll die trying."_

"_Sayomi, please—"_

"_I love him, Gai."_

"_Think about your daughter for a change!" His voice rises, raw and filled with pain. _

_How dare he feels pain! How dare he tries to stop me when I am hurting much more than he is! Does he think this is easy for me? Does he think I can just close my eyes and walk away from the truth?_

_I'm done running. I'm done cowering away from the waking nightmare that is my life. I'm done thinking about the 'what-ifs'. I'm done with Sayomi and Konoha and the illusion of happiness! I'm done putting my revenge aside! _

"_I am thinking of her!" I snap. Even angry, a part of me hopes he would one day understand. Him and Tenten, they are important too… but how can I explain what I feel? "I'm thinking of her, Gai. I'm thinking she needs a father!" _

_I glance back at the darken stairs, afraid that our voices might have woken her. But there's no noise coming from upstairs. She's still asleep –peacefully oblivious- and I am glad. _

"_I will try my best to bring her father back," I turn to Gai. He looks so defeated. I don't care. I don't care about him anymore. I don't care! "But If I can't, I need you to step up and be that man for her. I need you to love her more than you ever did me." _

"_Sayomi," he calls to me with building despair. I can tell he knows the same thing I do. This is a suicide mission more than a rescue one. But I have to try! I have to! I owe him as much. I love him that much! _

"_Promise me, Gai," I demand, pulling him into a tight a hug the Black Widow allows. This is the only thing I can give you, Gai. I can only give you a hug in return for all you have done for me and for all you have taken. I'm sorry for that and I hate you for that. _

"_I promise," he whispers back and then, just like that, he starts to cry. _

_I step back, unable to comfort him as the Black Widow in me emerges and pulls away in repulsion. I'm hurting you, but part of me thinks you deserve this. You deserve my hate more than you do my understanding. You took him from me! The Black Widow's rage pushes Sayomi, until she's soon overwhelmed by hatred. It's her turn to sleep and the angry part of me to rise! _

_Before she's locked away, however, she leaves a final thought in my head. No matter how much I want to get rid of it, it seems to have grown roots already. So, I turn around and head back inside. _

_There is a person that doesn't deserve my anger lying upstairs. She doesn't deserve to be left without a word of explanation. She's much too precious and I owe her more than I can ever give her. _

_I approach the bookshelf where I keep my personal books. I pull my journal out and head for the table. I glance back to see Gai staring at me, still hurting, still crying. He's come inside and is standing near the doorway, soaked and lost. _

_I don't care. You brought this upon yourself, Gai. Why did you have to come to me that day? Why couldn't you have let me be! Why couldn't you ignore my treason and allow me to be happy some more? Why did your heart have to destroy mine?_

_Fate, what have I done to you? _

_Fate, why must you hate me so?_

_I open the journal and grab a pen. I quickly fill in the pages with what has happened since my contact arrived. When I'm done, I sit back thoughtfully, not really knowing how to continue. I stare at the last blank pages left and I think: this is it. This will be my last entry. _

_Tenten, I need to explain some things to you. I hope you understand. I hope you do not judge me too harshly. And I hope… I really do hope… that you will never get to read this. _

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **struggled to keep from letting her emotions run rampant when there was so much that needed to be done. Granted, she was finally here. She'd finally found her father. But finding him was half the battle and she needed to keep reason close if she was to save him.

Of course, this was easier said than done. She'd been close to eight years old when she'd last seen him. Thirteen years had gone by since then. Those were years that she'd spent oblivious to her past, ignorant of the fact that this person existed and was suffering in silence. Now that she was in his presence, fully aware of who he was and how much he meant to her, it was difficult not to give in to the urge to cry her heart out to him. She wanted to hold him tightly and not let go. She wanted to be tucked beneath his chin and find comfort. She wanted not to fear that this could be the first and last time she ever hugged him.

Kami, he felt so slim and fragile in her arms! How many times had he held her in the past? How many times must he'd wondered about her? How many times had he hoped that someone would come to save him?

Tenten bit her lower lip. She couldn't help the guilt that rose all the way into her throat, constricting her muscles and leaving a bitter taste behind. She'd been living her life unaware of his pain and suffering! How could she ever tell him how sorry she was? What could she possibly do to make up for all the pain and years of abandonment!

The reasonable part of her attempted to twist the situation in her favor, reminding her that she hadn't had a say in the matter of vanquishing Tetsua Tenten. It was her mother who'd taken the decision to keep all this from her. Yet, blaming a ghost didn't make her feel any better. If anything, it made her feel worst!

"You shouldn't have come," she heard him say, his sobs subsiding as he fought to compose himself.

Tenten wanted to hold him longer. She wished she could wipe away all his pain with a hug, a kiss and soothing whispers. It was a childish wish, of course. Nothing would ever undo what had been done to him, no matter how much she wanted to.

"I should have come many years ago," she admitted, feeling suddenly very guilty and very inadequate. She should have been more curious about her past! She should have kept prodding her mom until she'd given in. She shouldn't have gone to sleep that night, when the knock upon the door heralded the news that killed her mom.

She felt insecure when her dad began to pull away. She didn't want to let him go. She didn't want him to see her fear. She had to be strong for him now, just like he'd been strong when she'd needed him to be. So she stripped her face of everything, faking the confidence she'd momentarily lost. In silence, she dropped her arms and allowed him the space he sought.

He looked at her squarely for a while. In the wake of his crying, his face was stern. His right hazel eye scrutinized her face, as though trying to figure out her thoughts and plans. He began to wipe the evidence of his tears with the sleeve of his shirt. The fabric rode up his arm, provoking her with further evidence of what he'd gone through. She felt herself trembling with something between anger and dispair. She barely managed to bite back a chain of colorful curses when she noticed the deep scars marring his skin. Those bastards! What had they done to him! Had pulling his eye out and wiping out his entire Clan not been enough?

"Tenten..."

She pulled her eyes away from his scars and looked back into his eyes in order to give him her full attention.

"I want you to leave this place right now," he ordered, his one eye imparting that commanding look that she'd never been able to ignore.

Tenten struggled not to follow the order, fighting the urge to look away and meekly comply. She was no longer eight years old and vulnerable when it came to fighting. Now more than ever, she needed to be strong! So she veered her mind away from thinking back upon the day where she'd been separated from her dad. She hadn't been able to fight his silent orders then, but she told herself that this was different. She was different! She was no longer a child.

"Don't worry, dad." Relief settled in his eye briefly, before she shut it down when she continued, "I will leave this place, but when I do, you'll be leaving with me." Tenten forced her voice to sound just as commanding as his.

Intense pain flashed through his eye, making his body sag with what could only be tiredness. When he next spoke, it was with a plea, "I need you to go. Please, you need to go, Tenten. Please... just leave me and never come back."

"No." She shook her head in emphasis, "We'll leave this place soon, together or not at all." Her words came out harsher than she'd intended. With a shaking finger, she thumbed a tear that escaped him. She felt her own tears fighting to get free from her lashes. How could he even ask her something like this! Didn't he know how important he was to her? Didn't he know that there was no turning back for either of them?

"Princess... you know nothing." His voice was barely above a whisper which prompted Tenten to lean forward, afraid to miss a word. "You didn't see... You did not see what they did to _her_... You where not here to witness her end, so you don't know what they'll do to you if they find out who you are… but _I_ do."

Tenten pulled back from her father as a memory rushed to greet her from deep within her subconscious. It was a memory that she'd known was bound to visit her sooner or later. For the first time in a long time, she wished she'd been wrong…

_The knock upon the door sounded loud and grave. Tenten reached out to turn on her bedside lamp and threw off her covers in one fluid motion. She stood up and waited for her eyes to adjust to the light. She hadn't been able to get a goodnight sleep since her mom had left around a month ago. Gai had vaguely excused her absence but he wasn't a good liar. Her mother had left, alright, but she hadn't done it following the Hokage's orders, that much Tenten had been able to gather by snooping around and overhearing people's conversations. It's surprising how much a child can uncover if she tries hard enough._

_The knock came again, more hesitant but still loud enough to attest to its urgency. Tenten headed downstairs, trying to shake the gloomy feeling off of her. She couldn't. She spared a passing glance at the ticking clock in the wall. The time read three in the morning. _

_Her heart was beating in her throat by the time she opened the door. Time froze, allowing her to take in all the details of the image presented. A sad looking Gai with a body draped over his arms. The evidence of tears was still visible on his cheeks and his blood-shot eyes. Beside him stood two other people, both regular members of her mother's team. The woman –what was her name?—was looking at her with pity and something that might have been remorse. The other man –he was her team captain, wasn't he?—was having a hard time keeping his sadness at bay. _

"_Come in," she found herself saying stupidly, moving aside so that they could file through. They did so almost in slow motion. She followed their movements guardedly, all the while allowing her eyes to fall on the inanimate body hidden by the black blanket._

_She didn't need them telling her who the body belonged to. It was obvious, wasn't it? Why else would they bring it here? Why else would they come in the middle of the night with those faces; faces that stared at her with pity. _

_Now that they had stepped into the light, Tenten started to make out the details that made this picture more than wrong. It wasn't just that her mom was dead what bothered her. It was the things that spoke about the manner in which she'd met her end. It was the way her limbs where hanging every which way; swollen and twisted unnaturally. It was the horror that Gai was unable to hide what made her dread what she would find below that blanket. _

_The woman –Sheila! That was her name!—strode forward, breaking the spell of inactivity. She knelt before Tenten so that she could meet her gaze squarely. Tenten guessed she might have been aiming for consolation, but she only managed to duplicate her fear and, as weird as it sounded, her anger. _

"_Go on up," she suggested, combing Tenten's disheveled hair. "I'll take care of things for you."_

_Tenten found her tone so condescending that it prompted her to step back repulsed. Who did this woman think she was? Who did she think she was speaking to? The last time she'd been sent to her room something bad had happened. The last time she'd complied with that order, her mother had left her and gotten herself killed! If she thought Tenten was going to be meek about this whole situation, then she had a surprise coming her way! _

_She glared at her to make it clear she would have none of this nonsense. Tenten's hands fisted, nails digging into the skin of her palms. Even though she hated the fact that her mother had blatantly lied to her, she could not bring herself to hate her. In a weird way, she hadn't broken her promise. In a weird way, she'd come back. She was home and it was up to Tenten to welcome her. _

"_On the table," she instructed, her eyes on Gai, challenging him to disagree. His shoulders hunched under her stare but he did as told. He looked just as lifeless as her mother did._

_Gently –almost reverently- he placed what was left of her mother on the table. His hands were so careful that it gave Tenten the impression that he was afraid to break her even more. She noticed the way Gai caressed the dark blanket, the part of it that was hiding her mother's face. He was standing with a hand fisted and tension running all across his back. She could tell he was trying his best not to mourn her when all he wanted was to do just that. She'd always wondered if Gai had feelings for her mother, she wouldn't have to do it anymore. She found no solace in the thought._

"_I'm going to ask you to leave us," she said, controlling her own emotions masterfully. "I need to care for my mother." She concentrated on not breaking the first rule she'd been taught at the academy. 'A ninja must never show his feelings, no matter what. That is the way of the ninja.' She kept repeating those two sentences like a mantra inside her head, until the threesome had walked out. _

_She shut the door after them and locked it tight. She didn't want to be interrupted nor did she wish for her pain to be witnessed by anyone else. Tenten felt bad that she hadn't been able to bid them goodbye or thank them for bringing her mother home. But her mind was somewhere else, drifting amidst the reminder to keep breathing._

"_Okay, I can do this," she whispered. She approached the table slowly, trying to keep her knees from buckling, her weight heavier with each step. What would she see? What had happened to her? What had they done to her? Who… who the fuck had done this in the first place! Most importantly, why? What had her mother chosen over her own child? What or who could be more important than Konoha and her own flesh and blood! _

_Tenten took a deep breath. There were a lot of questions that she could not answer, but one of them she could. What had they done to her? The answer lied before her, below that barrier of moist cotton. So she grabbed the blanket in a fist and, bracing herself as best she could, she pulled it off. _

_She tried not to, but she was unable to stifle a scream when she'd revealed the sorry state her mother's body was in. It was her face, more than anything else, what made her double up and puke her dinner right out onto the cold floor. _

_Her face –that lovely face of hers—had been mutilated beyond recognition. If it wasn't for the tattoo of a black spider in the arm of the body, Tenten would have had a hard time accepting that this was her mother. But fact remained that it was. She was. _

_Tenten's tight hold on her control faltered and she let it go. She allowed herself to feel freely, damning that ninja rule that had been her emotional support. She staggered away from the horror, drunk on pain. Her knees buckled and she crashed in a heap upon the floor. _

_She was so weak! She was pathetic! But she couldn't bring herself to care about appearances anymore! Not now when the pain was so fresh it felt like someone was breaking her from the inside out. Tenten cried until she could barely open her eyes. Never would she had thought that a person could run out of tears, but she eventually did. _

_After the pain came a welcomed numbness that parted her emotions allowing reason to shed some light into her mind. Tenten took advantage of the respite given to stand up. She returned to the body and with mute detachment, she made an inventory of her mother's wounds; especially those on her face. _

_Tenten knew enough about blades to know that one had been used to disfigure her. She'd been obviously tortured by the hands of someone overtly cruel. Her ripped eyelashes, missing nose, broken teeth, cut earlobes, all of it attested to that. Not to mention the rest of the things. Every joint in her body had been dislocated; some of the bones were broken, others completely shattered. Her throat still bore the mark of teeth and fingers that had closed around her neck, crushing her trachea. _

_Tenten hoped that it had been suffocation what had ultimately killed her. It was naïve of her to wish that she hadn't suffered as much as she had. Why would someone abuse a body to this extent after she was killed? No, Tenten knew better than that, but for her sanity's sake she chose to ignore the cynical voice inside her that told her she was stupid. _

_Alone in a house that had stopped being a home, she began the arduous task of cleaning the body. There was no way she would be able to hide the horror of what had been done to her. The least she could do, however, was conceal it as much as possible and give her mom a worthy burial –one that would make up for the manner in which she'd died; one that would keep the guilt from drowning her in the despair that was starting to rise. _

Tenten forced herself to come out of the memory. She couldn't think about that –about _her_! She couldn't afford fear to pop its ugly head. If anything, shouldn't that reinforce her resolve? Back then she hadn't known what she knew now. There were many deaths that she could attribute to the Oschiros and her mother's had been the worst of them! Tenten had vowed that day that she would find the person who'd mistreated her and make him pay. Now, she was in the position to do so and Kami helped whoever stood in her way!

"Ten... my silver princess," her father's hand was on her shoulder, fingers digging into her skin despite the layers of clothing. She knew that worst images -no, worst memories must have danced across his mind. He'd seen what they'd done to her, hadn't he? He'd said as much.

Tenten wanted to say something comforting but she was at a loss for words. If she indeed had gotten her silver tongue from her mom, then it failed her now that she needed it the most! What could she possibly tell him? As it stood, she didn't have to. Before she could think of something, he spoke.

"Do not break me. Do not force me to watch you suffer like she did. If you love me... then let me go. Let me have the victory of knowing they will never touch you." His plea was hard to ignore, but she somehow did it.

Tenten shook her head. She couldn't do it. He was asking for too much while recieveing too little. "It is precisely because I love you that I cannot leave you, dad!" He had to understand. He had to! He was important!

"They killed your mom!" He snapped. "She came here, hoping for the same thing you did, and ended up dying for it!"

"I'm not mom!" Tenten snapped. She regretted her words as soon as she'd spoken them. They had come out wrong. She hadn't meant to sound so angry. Truth was, she was just _like_ her mom. After she'd read her journal and realized who she really was –who _he _was_, _Tenten had thrown caution to the wind. She'd planned on coming to save him alone, just like her mom had done. In fact, she would have done it if Neji hadn't taken things into his own hands and changed her destiny.

Of course, admitting to that would hardly help. She needed her dad's cooperation, not his anger or fear or pain. They all needed to be fully committed in order to play to the best of their abilities. It didn't matter that the war was over, they were still in enemy territory as far as she was concerned.

"I can't watch you die," he whispered defeated. "You're all I have left."

Tenten took her dad's dry hand and kissed it softly, respectfully, lovingly. "I know, dad. But you are all I have left as well. What I meant is... unlike my mom, I'm not doing this alone. I have a team and they are the best Konoha has to offer." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek and then his forehead, just like he used to do when she was younger. She felt him tremble at the touch.

When was the last time he'd been given some comfort? When was the last time he'd been handled with love?

"Princess…" he called softly, grabbing her hand and kissing it tenderly. She could feel his tears dropping into the back of her palm.

"I promise we'll get you out."

"Okay… just don't—"a knock coming from upstairs interrupted whatever he was about to say. Tenten straightened and listened carefully. Her body coiled and so did her father's, probably in reaction to her tension.

Knock…knock…knock… Three knock, someone was coming!

"I'll save you this time, dad," she insisted, kissing his cheek hurriedly. She stood up and moved away before he could say anything else.

Her feet guided her towards the tensed figure of Neji. He was pulling his bandages up and around his eyes, his frown displaying intense concentration. The wheels in Tenten's head started spinning, trying to come up with a plausible reason for why they were in the basement in the first place. She doubted that her hosts would welcome the excuse of simply being curious or wanting to have a nice little chat with their prisoner.

An idea popped into her head. It was daring and embarrassing but very much within Ai's realm of actions. So, without thinking too much about it –she could already hear footsteps coming from upstairs—she pushed Neji against the wall. Taken off guard he staggered back, almost falling.

"What the—" He started saying, but Tenten was too far gone into her plan to listen or explain. Instead she pushed her body against his, crushing him against the wall roughly. She tore his black shirt open with her knife, leaving a shallow wound behind. Tenten wanted to apologize, but this was exciting Ai. Before he could react, Tenten grabbed his long mane of hair and pulled his head back, allowing her access to his neck.

She heard a strangled gasp coming from him when she licked his skin, sucking on the throbbing point on his throat. She could feel his heart hammering below his chest and she made it a point to keep her hand moving up and down his torso, exploring him without qualms.

This is what Ai had come to do downstairs. She'd come to give the solitary prisoner of the Oschiros a show.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** grunted when he was roughly shoved into a wall.

"What the—" He turned in the direction of what he'd assumed had been a hostile presence, only to find Tenten instead.

Before he could get in another word, she ripped his shirt open, took ahold of his hair and pulled at it, exposing his neck. Neji gasped when she began kissing and licking it -_him_ in a most delightful way. Neji hadn't the vaguest clue of what she was thinking. In fact, trying to decipher her plan was becoming more and more difficult as she continued imparting ministrations that should have been reserved for a more private time. In vain, he tried to keep himself from handing his control to his primal desires. He needed reason to hold the reigns but… Kami, what Tenten was doing was a form of torture he could not defend against.

"Play along," she whispered in his ear, her voice so husky it made his entire body tingle.

Neji was still in the process of making sense of that, when he heard the sound of multiple footsteps approaching. It was hard ignoring what Tenten –no, Ai was doing, but he managed it. Somehow, he forced his body to cool down enough to activate his byakugan.

He flinched when he registered Nobu's signature among the people coming downstairs. For what seemed like the tenth time, he wondered what Tenten was planning. More importantly, he wondered if she would manage to survive -emotionally intact- another confrontation with the star of her nightmares.

Tenten's hands didn't stop until Nobu was upon them and had to clear his throat to earn their attention. She pulled away slightly and glanced at the newcomers through the corner of her eyes.

"Oh, my," she chuckled, turning around in Neji's slackened grasp. She leaned her body against his, allowing no space between them. "It seems we have a bigger audience than anticipated."

Nobu's chakra displayed more excitement than embarrassment, which Neji did not appreciate at all. This man seemed to be just as twisted in the head as Tenten's alias was.

"An audience, you say?" His interest seemed to increase. "Would you care to explain why you decided to put on a show here, out of all the places at your disposal? Surely, I could find a much better spot for you to continue."

Tenten tsked him, "The key to the show doesn't lie in the place."

Neji felt her reaching for his hair and then pulling his head down so that his lips ended up touching her neck. He followed her silent instructions, remembering that she was setting the rules for the game, and began nuzzling her neck. When she tilted her head to allow him better access, Neji resorted to kissed it instead.

"Enlighten me, then," Nobu ordered, his voice dropping in tone.

Neji could feel his gaze on him and what he was doing. He wished he could pull down his bandages and read the expression on the man's face. He hoped he hated this just as much as Neji loved it.

"It's the audience what makes the show… exciting," she responded, moaning softly when his tongue darted out to lick. He was trying not to distract her too much, but once he'd begun it was difficult for him to stop. Even the fact that her father was in the room was pushed to the back of his head.

Neji did stop when he noticed Nobu approaching them. He tried to keep his tension from showing, but he didn't know if he was pulling it off. Tenten, surprisingly, kept calm; her body leaning languidly against him so that almost all her weight was on him and the wall. Was she trying to protect him? Or was she simply playing her role?

"The audience, huh?" Nobu's voice was colder. Neji was right, what he was doing to Tenten must have displeased the older man. "So tell me, what does this traitor has that I do not? For why else would you have chosen to show this to him over me and my men?"

Ah, so that was the source of his displeasure? It wasn't Neji who'd instigated his jealousy. He wanted to laugh at the realization and ended up pressing his lips to Tenten's neck in order to hide his smirk. Even chained and at their mercy, Tetsua Ryuu held control over Nobu's mind. Even in rags he was a man Nobu couldn't defeat, Tenten had made sure of that. Which, of course, begged the question: who was the real prisoner?

Tenten chuckled. Had she arrived at the same conclusion he had? Or was she simply relishing in the power she held over the situation? If that was it, then it was quickly becoming a short-lived victory. Neji felt her hand sliding down to grab the back of his thigh. Her fingers closed, wrinkling the fabric of his pants when Nobu stepped forward, intruding into her personal space. Neji wanted to hit the man, to push him away from Tenten, but he knew better than to act on impulses that would only get them in further trouble. He had to trust her and her abilities.

"So?" Nobu prompted, still waiting for an answer to a question that hadn't been rhetorical.

"The mystery of stoic silence," Tenten answered laconically, the muscles in her back coiling, ready to pounce if needed be.

"And what exactly does that mean?" His tone dropped to match hers. But where Tenten's tone had held a tint of seduction, Nobu's held one of anger.

"It makes eliciting a reaction –_any_ reaction out of such a man… much more rewarding."

"Is this some kind of game you like to play?" He was standing so close Neji could feel the heat of his body. He wished he could reverse his position with Tenten so that, at the very least, he could become a barrier between them. He couldn't, of course. In this relationship, Ai was the dominant one.

"Isn't life a game?" Tenten's words sounded like a taunt of some kind. Neji wanted to ask her to be careful, to warn her that she was playing with wild fire and not with a candle anymore.

"Interesting… I used to know someone just like you," Nobu's whisper managed to become more menacing than a war cry.

Before Tenten could think of a witty reply, Nobu moved and Neji reacted instinctively for the first time. His hand shot forward to stop the man from touching Tenten. He ended up closing his fingers around Nobu's thick wrist before he could caress Ai's cheek. In the pause after that, he realized that Tenten had reacted as well and was holding something against Nobu's throat. He couldn't tell what it was given the limited detail his byakugan relayed.

There was palpable silence all around and, within it, tension cracking in the air. Neji took advantage of his active byakugan to map every person in the room. Nobu had come in with a group of six, with Hiro among the men present. They were only five on their team, six if you counted Akamaru; one for each, leaving someone to fend two targets at the same time. Considering the situation, the odds weren't bad. Neji was further put at ease when he noticed how their team had subtly positioned themselves. If Tenten gave the signal to abort the mission, they could each take out their appointed target before they even knew what hit them.

"Someone like me, huh?" Tenten maintained her playfulness, ignoring the hostility that their combined reaction had produced. "I seem to be getting that a lot lately from your family. Tell me, did she leave a strong impression?"

"Oh, that she did," Nobu acknowledged, not yet trying to disengage from Neji's hold. If he was uncomfortable, he hid it well.

"Not a pleasant one, I gather."

"Whatever gave you that impression?" Even if he couldn't see it, Neji knew Nobu was smirking. His tone dripped with arrogant amusement and something else, something that hinted at a twisted sense of excitement.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Tenten chuckled, but it came out less natural than before. How long could she fake nonchalance? "Tell me, will I ever have the pleasure of meeting this woman? I hope she's a looker. As you may have noticed, I have a thing for collecting beautiful people as well as beautiful things. Gender is inconsequential."

Nobu laughed, his belly shaking. "It didn't end too well for her, unfortunately. I don't think she would have been able to make it into your collection by the end. You see… she was a player too. She liked playing with snakes until she got bitten by the biggest of them all. It was a horrible way to go, but it served as a fitting lesson."

Neji felt Tenten's tension rising and wondered if this had something to do with how her mother had died. A closer look at Ryuu's chakra confirmed his fears. Where he'd been keeping all that chakra stored, Neji didn't know, but it confused him somewhat. If he had that much energy left, then why hadn't he tried to escape before? If he wasn't storing it to escape, then what was it for?

"You've sparked my curiosity. Tell me then, what would this grand lesson be?" She asked, still maintaining her tone light enough to keep her pretense.

"Don't play a game if you can't handle the consequences, Saito Ai."

"Is that so?" She taunted drily. "If I didn't know any better, Oschiro Nobu, I would think that's a threat."

She must have applied some tension on whatever she was holding to Nobu's neck –perhaps a kunai or a blade—because when he spoke again, it was with an underlying warning.

"What a silly notion." He tried, for the first time, to shake Neji's hold. "Now, let's be careful with how you handle that knife of yours. We wouldn't want someone to get hurt now, would we? Especially not for a game and especially not now that I'm getting to really like you."

"We are in agreement," Tenten accepted, pulling the knife away. "We wouldn't want a misunderstanding to mar our relationship so early in the game." Tenten squeezed Neji's hand and, a little reluctantly, he let go of Nobu's wrist. "Forgive my shadow, he gets overprotective. You see, I like to be touched but I'm also the only one allowed to decide when, where and by whom."

Nobu stepped away, giving them some breathing room. "So you are one too…"

"Excuse me?" Tenten pulled away from Neji.

"A Black Widow," he said the name with disquieting enjoyment.

It amazed Neji how unfazed Tenten sounded when she laughed. It didn't even seem forced. Perhaps because of that, he wondered if she was finally losing it. Before he could worry more someone joined them from above.

"Ah, there you are," it was Shin. "I've been looking all over for you."

"What is it?" Nobu asked, not particularly happy at the timely interruption.

"Ah, apologies for my vagueness," Shin didn't sound all that apologetic. "I was referring to our honored guest. My father has requested your presence for dinner, if you accept. He felt that, in order to make up for his rudeness from this morning, it would be proper for him to set up a private dinner."

"That sounds lovely," Tenten replied politely.

"Excellent, then follow me, please," Shin said, turning around and leading the way without even waiting for his uncle to say a thing. The tension between them, however, did not go unnoticed by Neji. It seems that the chip in the armor Tenten had talked about didn't exist only between Shin and Hiro after all.

"Oschiro Nobu," Tenten called as she passed the man by, "I have to admit that I've been called a lot of things, but Black Widow is a first." She chuckled and in a lower tone, added, "I kind of like the sound of that, don't you?"

With that, she continued on her merry way. Neji followed her in silence, all the while hoping that she would not get bitten by this snake.

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten** sat across from Ryota and Shintaro. She felt, for the first time that day, that something was wrong. It was the way they were looking at her what made her want to squirm in her seat. It was ridiculous, of course! Ai was a person that would welcome the attention, no matter its source.

To add to her discomfort was the fact that, for the very first time since she'd encountered the Oschiros, she was alone. That wasn't to say that her team had deserted her. They were actually waiting just outside. A thin rice paper door was all that was separating them from her, but even so the barrier felt impenetrable.

So far their conversation had been light and casual, but Tenten had the strange feeling that a complex subject was about to be introduced. Could she be reading things wrong? It wouldn't be all that farfetched for her to experience baseless fears. After all, her meeting with Nobu had pushed her past the thin line that divided carefulness from paranoia.

"By the way, Saito Ai, the girl Reina confused you with…" Shin let the incomplete sentence hang in the air. The neutrality in his tone indicated that this might be paving the road for something of import.

"What about her?" Tenten prompted nonchalantly. She shook the urge to wipe the sweat off of her palms. Had someone forgotten to turn off the heater?

"Did I ever tell you who she was?"

Tenten's heart skip a beat, but she managed to keep her voice steady, "You said she was a friend of yours."

"True," he sipped his sake and added, "She was also my fiancée."

_What? _Tenten cursed inwardly when she dropped her chopsticks. She picked them up quickly, hoping they hadn't seen her slip but knowing they had. What the hell was Shintaro talking about? As far as she knew, she had never been betrothed to anyone!

"I'm sorry for your loss," Tenten offered drily, wanting nothing else but to throw suspicion off of her as delicately as possible.

"My loss…?" Shin shook his head, amused. "I never said she was dead."

Tenten tilted her head, faking confusion, "I'm a bit lost then."

"Apologies, perhaps I should fill you in. You see, I don't think she knew we were promised to each other. Our fathers had just made the decision and were discussing when to make the announcement when… a problem sparked between her mother and my uncle Nobu. It all kind of went down the drain after that. Which was unfortunate because," Shin's eyes jumped from his food to her. His look was so intense, it made her blush, "I was madly in love with her… and have been ever since."

"How unfortunate," Tenten leaned forward on the table, placing her chin on her propped arm. She was trying to control the heat her body was producing and failing miserably. How bad must her blush be? Had they seen it? Where they wondering why she was so flustered… or had they been expecting it?

She shook the questions away and tried to reign in the situation before it got out of hand. "So let me guess… you want me to help you find her?" She hid her free hand under the table, holding the chopsticks tightly, ready to use them as a weapon if needed be.

"Find her? No, I'm sorry for giving you that impression." Shin corrected, waving a hand in dismissal, amusement still glinting in his eyes.

"Alright," Tenten was at a loss as to what else to say. They were being so cryptic that she had the impression that they were waiting for her to step into a mine. Had they found out who she was? Where they suspecting something? Or were they simply waiting for her to blow up her cover on her own? "I have a feeling that this has nothing to do with getting love advice from me. Though, if that's the case, I'll be happy to give it. If not… then is there a point to all of this?"

Ryota –who'd yet to join this conversation—placed a hand on his son's arm. "What he's trying to say is that there's no need for you to find the girl, because she's already been found," he made a hand gesture and a nearby servant bowed to him and began walking in Tenten's direction. He wasn't holding any kind of weapon, so she kept relatively calm. Even so, her guard was up and ready. "We'd made our peace with the idea that we would never see her again… until Reina ran into her and proved us wrong."

"Wait! Me?" Tenten's voice came out a pitch higher, but she laughed it off as though what they were implying was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "Oh, my! What is it with you people? Never in my life has someone made me feel as though I was the most ordinary person in the world! For why else would you insist that you've seen me before or that I was this girl or that! Surely," her eyes were on Ryota, "you don't really believe me to be your son's missing betrothed?"

"That's what I told my daughter. I told her that you couldn't possibly be who she thought you were. That she was overlapping you with her memories because, granted, you girls share some distinguishing traits," Ryota explained unperturbed. "Only then, after I had said my piece, she showed me this."

The servant kneeling beside her produced a paper from seemingly out of nowhere. With a bow he offered it to her. Tenten stared at the folded piece with widened eyes. She knew exactly what it was and where it came from. The stroke of the handwriting was unmistakable, even if she couldn't see it properly. Instinctively her hand slipped into the pocket of her yukata only to find nothing in it.

Kami, no! This was it. They'd been found.

_Wait! _A voice inside her yelled, _in the letter Neji called you Koishii! He never wrote Tenten!_

The servant turned to his master and, after receiving a silent order with another curt gesture of a hand, he placed the paper on the table beside her. It was then she saw that on the other side of the message there was one word written with beautiful calligraphy. She stared at the word for a long time, not knowing how she'd managed to fail to see that when she'd left Konoha all those days ago.

Her shoulders slumped, her back hunched and she hung her head down in defeat. Suddenly she felt so very tired, more so than she'd felt in the past days combined. All the drama, all the planning, all the waiting had been for nothing. All the promises she'd made were now put on the line, ready to be broken one by one. For that one word was a name; a name that shattered any chance of salvaging the operation; a name that condemned not only her father, but her entire team to an uncertain fate.

In Neji's beautiful print that one cursed name read _Tenten_.

**To be continued…**

* * *

**AN: **I have to admit that writing the scene in Neji's perspective was very challenging (since he has those stupid bandages on!). So there's a lot of detail that I didn't know how to write and ended up discarding it at the end. Originally, I had been planning on using Tenten's perspective in the entire chapter, but felt that I would be breaking the style I'd set (using both characters to tell the story) so I relented. Hopefully, you guys didn't mind it too much and you didn't get confused. If possible, let me know what you thought of this chapter!


	19. Silver Tongue

**Revised:** 6/04/2012

**Thanks again to my awesome reviewers:** Exsisting Paranoia, anthropomorphichybrid, Maren, . , Eternal Cat Moon, Steenta112, DarkAnonymous324, FruitySmell, Dokuritsu17, anniewanny2, GoldenDragonClouds, Sayori Hollyhood and Just Lovely.

**Typos pointed out by:** _Just Lovely._

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"_THE EDGE, there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is, are the ones who have gone over."_

_~ Hunter S. Thompson ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

* * *

**Chapter 19: "Silver Tongue"**

* * *

_Mission type: S-Rank, Specialist: ANBU operative—chameleon type, Codename: Black Widow, Team: Solo, Objective: Infiltration, Mission ID: 02103828._

_Tenten, you should know this about me: the Black Widow is not just a title, it's a legend forged in blood and tragedy. Yet, it's so much more than that. For every action there is a reaction, for every decision a consequence… and for every advantage there needs to be a weakness to balance it out. _

_The legend of the Black Widow is one that you will never hear sung in bars with cups raised in cheers. No. It's a story that is shared from dark corners in tenuous whispers. It is the story of an undying warrior that strikes with a sword of love and a honeyed tongue. It's about a mistress of death that nobody sees coming until it's too late. That is what people know. That is what people believe. The Black Widow has been in the heart of mysterious deaths, creating chaos in whichever place she happens to be at. _

_What people do not know is that there's always another side to a coin, even one that is made of gold and seemingly invaluable. The Black Widow is a darkness that resides within my soul and those of my deceased family. It's an unwanted heirloom passed along from one generation to the next, one that we cannot get rid of no matter how much we might try. The Black Widow is a line of females that carry the burden of the name, shedding their own along the way. _

_Tenten… I have done my best to spare you this darkness, but as the shadow of death looms near, I wonder if I ever had a choice in the matter. I would like to believe that I was forced into the ranks of the Black Widow by training and testing. Yet, I cannot shake the feeling that the Black Widow is actually in my blood and head and heart; like a genetic disease with no cure at hand. If this last is correct, does it mean that you have it too? Does it mean that one day the Black Widow will whisper in your head like she does in mine? Does it mean that I have failed you in this as well?_

_True, the Black Widow is our strength but it is also our curse and eventually our deaths. I realize now that maybe I should have told you about the only tradition in my family. The last I wanted was to have you find out through a hastily written letter. To be honest, I'm scared of what your reaction would be. Would you hate me even more? Would you blame me when that voice starts whispering? Would you blame me if fate decides that it hates you too? Would you curse me when you try to shake that darkness only to realize that it's a part of you?_

_Tenten, there is a reason why the only family I have is you. There is a reason why you and me are the only ones with my blood. The reason comes back to the beginning of everything, and to the inevitable end as well. _

_The Black Widow. _

_I have always believed that I was raised to be a Black Widow. As long as I could remember, I was tasked with the idea that I needed to fill in the shoes that generations before me had worn. My mother hated me from the moment I was born. How could she not? Her mother had hated her too. And before that, her grandmother had hated her mother and so on and on indefinitely. Why? The answer is cruel in its simplicity. A Black Widow's baby girl is the harbinger of her mother's demise. _

_I've said it before. The Black Widow carries and leaves tragedy in her wake but at some point, all of that power has to balance out. In order for the Black Widow to impart such tragedy, she needs to be forged in tragedy as well. _

_That is what I am, Tenten. I am a child of tragedy. _

_To this day, I'm not sure if my mother hated me or what I represented. How can an heirloom be given from mother to daughter if death is not involved? In the legends, when would you ever hear of the undying monster having an offspring? The legend of the Black Widow is so fierce because of the addition of immortality. The Black Widow cannot love and she cannot die, for if she did, the enchantment that gives her so much power would be broken. _

_Have I told you why from all the titles, the Black Widow was chosen to describe ourselves? You see, the Black Widow is a ruthless spider. In order for her children to grow, she eats her mate. That is what I was supposed to do… except, I couldn't. I broke the cycle and in so doing, I hope I have given you an opportunity to be rid of the curse. _

_Of course, there is more to the tragedy of the Black Widow than the disposal of the father of the child. It would have been easier for me if that was all it was. _

_I wonder… have you made the connection yet? Have you deciphered what is so hard for me to write? Have you figured out my greatest sin?_

_From a very young age I was introduced to my mother's hatred. Her feelings weren't a secret. I saw hate and envy in her eyes whenever she looked at me. I was never once held in her arms or kissed. I was never once told I was beautiful or wanted. I always thought that for my mother I was a curse. Soon enough learned that I was indeed correct._

_Yet, now that I'm about to embark on the journey that may lead me to the tragic end my Black Widow craves, I recall something. Every night 'till the day I killed her, my mother would slip into my room. The noise of her footsteps, no matter how low, would wake me. I would lie there, under my covers, pretending that I hadn't noticed the intrusion, wondering if she would finally kill me. I would stay very still when she would lean over me and fist my hand under my pillow in preparation for the blow that would never come. Her breath would ghost across my cheek for a few moments and, in a barely audible whisper, she would always speak the same phrase._

"_One day you will kill me, Sayomi." _

_After that, she would leave as quietly as she'd arrived. I would lie in my bed, unable to sleep, wondering what she meant and knowing that I would do it. That one day I would be unable to take her anger and her scorn and I would do it. I would end her. _

_Stupid, little me. I never had a choice in the matter. It is only when she was giving her last breath, a rose of blood blooming below her, that she passed onto me the curse. It is only as the life left her that I understood how hard it had been for her. It is only after she smiled her first and last smile that I realized why those nightly visits and that whispered phrase would leave me shaking. _

_You see Tenten, those whispered words were filled with undeniable pride and something more. Something I was unfamiliar with until I met Ryuu and his family; something that I have come to realize just now, as I am writing this. Her words were also filled with love. _

_So, do you understand why I never wanted you to know this, Tenten? Do you understand why I was so afraid to be around you, to teach you anything that I know? I know death and manipulation and tragedy. I was given birth to twice. The first time it was from my mother's womb, the second it was from my mother's blood. I killed her with anger in my heart and, in the last moments of her life, understood the power of love. I ended her life and in so doing, I also ended the part of me that was innocent and pure. I became the Black Widow, ripping the mantle from my mother's shoulders and carrying its weight on my own._

_When you were born, I wanted the Black Widow to stay away from you. I wanted to protect you, even if it meant allowing the Black Widow in me to take my life in a more ruthless fashion. So, here I am, choosing to finish my journey on my own, hopelessly wishing that I might come back and break the hold of that whispering voice. _

_If you read this… then it means that I have failed. If you read this… then I hope that with my death I have spared you the curse. I hope that with my tragic life I have sated the Black Widow's appetite and saved you from a similar fate. I hope that you never once hear that voice. I hope that you know that I love you, even if I never really knew how to show it properly. More than that, I hope that you have a full and happy life so that I may relish in the thought that I did not fail you in everything. _

_You are the only good thing that I brought into this world, Tenten. For that, I am proud._

_**-Extract from the Black Widow's Mission Journal. Mission No. 02103828—**_

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **felt a moment of utter insanity. How else could she explain what happened next? One moment she was ready to lie down and give up and the next she was laughing. She was cornered and the thought made her frustration rise, prompting even more laughter to storm past her lips. Her belly began to hurt, yet hard as she tried, she couldn't stop! At some point, she was bending over, her hand on her face, hiding the tears that were starting to fall.

She wondered what the reason for her tears was. Was it the sadness of having everything she'd work so hard for, crumble right before her very eyes? Or was it because deep down she was frightened that she would end up like her mom, broken and ganged raped in some cold, moist basement? Or was it simply the Black Widow within her that was laughing at the fact that even Tenten, who hadn't known about her family's curse, had ended up walking the path of tragedy?

The curse of the Black Widow her mother had called it. The despair and hatred had been evident in the handwriting of her last entry. Tenten had paid it little heed at the time. She'd thought that her words had been produced by her mother's break down. The choices she'd made, the guilt that had plagued her, the anger and the sadness that had clung to her from the moment her secret had been revealed had formed the curse her mother talked about. That was what Tenten had told herself. It was how she'd reasoned out what she'd read. It was how she'd managed to keep going without wondering if a tragic end awaited her down the road.

Yet, the moment her own secret had been revealed, Tenten had realized that she was her mother after all. Was Saito Ai not the Black Widow breathing under a different name? Was that why it had been so easy for Tenten to act her out? Because, deep down, the Black Widow had been waiting to be called back from the grave in order to propagate suffering and, in so doing, endure it as well? Was this how her mom had felt when she'd lost it all?

Broken… impotent… angry… cursed…

"We are cursed," Tenten voiced, struggling to recover her composure. She wiped the tears away and stared at her hosts turned judges and maybe even executioners. Could they detect the resemblance too? Could they see the Black Widow peeping through her eyes?

"Are you okay?" Shin's eyes were filled with such well-rehearsed worry, that Tenten almost believed him.

The voice inside Tenten –that which she'd thought had belonged to her conscience- chuckled manically, threatening to drown all other thoughts. Tenten did her best to ignore it.

"What a cruel question, Shintaro. Were you in my shoes, would you be okay?"

"I suppose I wouldn't," Shin admitted, turning to Ryota as if seeking answers to the unvoiced questions floating in the air.

Ryota cleared his throat, moved his plate aside and entwined his fingers. Tenten couldn't help thinking of Tsunade. Whenever she was ready to get down to business, she tended to fall into a similar posture.

"Now that pretenses have been put aside, tell me, Tetsua Tenten, why have you come? Is it to seek revenge for what we did to your Clan? Or is it simply to save our quiet prisoner?"

Tenten considered what to say for a long while. If she was careful in her response, could she buy her team a ticket out of this serpent's den unscathed? If she could save them, even if it was at the cost of her own life, was that not worthy of consideration?

"What do you want from me?" She ended up asking, testing the ground.

Ryota's reply came without delay, "The truth."

Tenten took a deep breath, wondering just how honest she was expected to be. There was only so much bullshit they could buy. Considering how abruptly her cover had been blown, she doubted they would readily believe anything she said. They were dancing with suspicion, and it was up to her to bring trust onto the stage.

"It took me a long while to build a team that would be willing to attempt the absurd. What kind of person would I be if I hadn't followed in my mother's footsteps and try to save what is left of my family?" Tenten decided to play at vague honesty, keeping her tone stripped of any negative emotions. She didn't know what they wanted to hear, so she was hoping they themselves would fill in the blanks. When unsure, Tenten knew it was better to answer a question with a question and let them hear whatever they wanted.

"Your mother infiltrated our compound and killed four warriors in order to get to your father," Ryota pointed out coldly. "Is this what you mean by following in her footsteps? Did you come here to spill the blood of my Clan?"

Tenten kept her face carefully blank. This was new information. She'd known that her mother had tried to save her father and had paid for her failure in blood. Yet, that was it. All she had were conjectures about her death but not about her deeds. She didn't know whether to smile with pride at her mother's prowess or cry with despair about where that left her. The ground under her feet was becoming less stable by the minute.

"I…" she licked her lips, thinking on what to say. Should she offer the naked truth? That she hadn't known about her mother's plans? Would that be seen as a weakness? "I want…"

"Revenge?" Ryota insisted.

Tenten shook her head, "Revenge would be a petty thing to wish for. What I want is… justice." She grimace and continued before they had a chance to pass on their judgment, "Of course, that is wistful thinking. How can a group as small as mine stand against the Clan who wiped the Tetsuas off to a couple of members?"

"And yet, you still came. Why?"

"Out of love," she said with a small shrug. "Is there anything stronger and less rational than love?"

She noticed Shintaro's eyes soften and Tenten wondered if this entire charade was not an act. Perhaps things weren't as bleak as she'd assumed? She could dream, couldn't she? She could hope…

"What now?" Her voice came out steady despite her building nervousness.

Ryota didn't say anything. His gaze was so piercing, it felt as though he was trying to pry her head open and look inside. Shin, thankfully, broke the tension before Tenten's composure snapped.

"She isn't seeking retribution, father," he still sounded hopeful. Why? Did he truly mean what he'd said before? He kept his eyes solely on his father, his voice almost pleading as he continued, "Perhaps there is a way to close old wounds once and for all?"

She could see that more was exchanged between them with that one phrase. Had they dictated code words when they'd found out who she was? Did that phrase have an underlying message; one that she was not supposed to know? Despite all the insecurity and distrust, Tenten felt the thread of hope wrapping around her heart.

"Indeed…" Ryota murmured, leaning forward as though she'd suddenly become more interesting. "Tell me, Tetsua Tenten, if I gave you a chance to save yourself, your team and your father without any blood shed… would you take it?"

"You know I would," she said guardedly. "But it all depends on the price, doesn't it?"

"Your hand in marriage."

The words felt like a bucket of icy water being emptied on her. It took her a long moment to process what he'd said. Surely, she'd heard him wrong. "E-excuse me?"

"Your father and I had discussed it before things went south," Ryota said as though that was as good an explanation as any.

"T-that's insane!" Tenten blurted out, trying to keep her anger at bay. Where they mocking her? There was no way they could be serious about this! Had they conveniently forgotten what they'd done? Was she supposed to just ignore the ocean of blood between them?

"As insane as you being here?"

Tenten pressed her hands to her eyes. Yes, she was insane. She had to be! If this wasn't a dream, then it was a nightmare!

"You… after what you…" she stopped to take a breath. She was seeing red and her heart was hammering loudly inside her head. A voice inside her roared, making her temples throb with the beginning of a headache.

"You really think I ordered the disposal of your Clan?" Ryota's tone was low, but his words made her look up in confusion. Either he was a better actor than she'd given him credit for, or he was truly being honest. "Your father saved me during the war and brought me back to my family. I love him more than I do my own brother. Do you really think I wished for this to happen? Do you think I enjoy keeping him chained in my basement?"

"Then why do you!"

"My hands are tied."

"What do you mean by that? You are the leader of the Oschiros! Your word is their law!" Tenten snapped, slapping the table in emphasis.

"It wasn't I who set the trap for the Tetsuas, nor was the entire Clan involved. Yet, to acknowledge that I wasn't giving the orders would be acknowledging a weakness in my command. I won't lie to you. Our Clan has been divided ever since that night. We were forced to move away by the remaining Clans after the massacre. It was a shameful night for all of those involved. None has forgotten what happened and most are still seeking redemption. So, do you understand now what your union with my son could achieve?"

Tenten, who'd almost risen to her feet, sat back down slowly. Everything was starting to fall into place. She thought about all she'd learned about the Oschiros so far. She remembered the chips in the armor she'd detected. The clear animosity between Shintaro, Hiro and Nobu himself… was it all really tied to that one night? If Ryota hadn't given the order then… was Nobu the only one to blame?

"If you marry me, Tenten, then we would no longer be able to hold your father prisoner. We would have the perfect excuse to reinstate him to his former glory. You and your father would be safe and our Clan would once again regain their honor." Shintaro's tone suggested that he meant it. He truly did believe that everything would be okay if only she said yes.

Tenten tore her gaze away from him, feeling suddenly uncomfortable in his presence. He had been a childhood friend, the first boy she'd ever kissed, even if it had been no more than a peck on the cheek. But… could he not understand?

She leaned her head onto her propped hand. How queer that she would understand her mother so much more now than when she was alive. She felt like she'd experienced this situation before, only not personally. This was in her mother's journal. Shintaro was just like Gai, wasn't he? He still loved someone that had ceased to be.

Tenten was no longer that child Shintaro had fallen in love with. She was no longer the girl who would peck him on the cheek if only to see him blush. So how was she supposed to make him understand this without destroying her chance at getting everyone out alive?

Of course, there was also someone else keeping her from saying yes. No matter how much she wanted to believe that it was her principle that was keeping her lips shut, in truth, it was something much simpler. It was Neji and the idea of giving him up.

She didn't know if what she felt for him was love, but whatever it was it was something too strong to fight. It was a connection that she couldn't bring herself to severe, not even if that meant saving her father and keeping her life. She wanted to know where this path they'd started to build would take them. She wanted to keep discovering what he had to offer.

It was a petty thing, but there it was. She couldn't let him go, just like she couldn't let her father go. She didn't want to choose like her mom had done, she wanted it all! Ironic, wasn't it? Her mother had gone through great lengths to keep Tenten from becoming her, and yet she'd turned out to be just like her. She might look like her father on the outside, but in her moment of greatest need, she was her mother's daughter.

Tenten smiled nostalgically. Her mother had always felt guilty at her selfishness, but Tenten had come to discover that humans were selfish creatures by nature. She could pretend that she wasn't, of course, but hadn't she given up on a lot of things already? Hadn't she fulfilled her quota of suffering? Did she not deserve to at least get her way this one time?

And so, despite how one three-lettered word could solve all of her problems, she couldn't bring herself to say it. "I can't do it."

"Tenten, please reconsider—"

"Do not be foolish, child!" Ryota's tone was for the first time harsh and commanding. The wooing period of the transaction was over and he was moving in like a shark. Yet, Tenten detected more frustration than anger in his tone when he added, "This is the best we can offer! Reconsider your options!"

She heard the Black Widow whispering instead of laughing for the first time since she'd been discovered. Tenten's eyes widened at the idea the voice offered. Of course, there was still her original plan, that which she'd conceived when she'd thought she was doing this alone! She took a deep breath and, with determination, put it into motion, hoping that it would not blow up in her face like everything else seemed to be doing.

"You forget one important thing, Oschiro Ryota."

"Did I?"

"My hand in marriage is not the best _I _can offer."

Ryota's eyes narrowed, "Child, what can you possibly give me that I cannot just take?"

"You yourself said that I could be a key. So I offer what you clearly lack and crave." Ryota leaned forward interested. "I offer the unity of your Clan."

"How…?" It was Shintaro the one who asked and, by how quickly he'd done it, she knew that they were hanging on her every word.

"I can rid you of the tumor that is infecting your Clan." She gained her feet, her voice rising in volume and determination. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's tradition for animosity between Clans to be dealt with by having two champions fight it out." She waited for the nod of confirmation. "You said that not all the Clan agreed with the decisions made that night. If so, then that means my Clan was wronged by yours and, as such, I have the option –no, the _obligation_ to set things right."

"This is crazy!" Shin shook his head as though it was the stupidest idea he'd ever heard.

"Yet correct," Ryota argued calmly.

Tenten placed all of her cards on the table, "Allow me to challenge Oschiro Nobu to a duel. In so doing, my Clan would achieve justice and your Clan would attain redemption. It's a win-win situation for you. No matter the outcome, the Oschiros would be united again without you having to lift one finger." She approached the older man and offered her hand. "Tell me, Oschiro Ryota, is this not a better offer?"

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **waited in vain for her to say something. He'd listened to her laugh uncontrollably through the rice door. It had sounded wrong to him and he'd immediately been worried. After that, there had been a profound silence broken by voices he could barely discern. After a short eternity, Tenten had strolled out, looking a little pale and quite tensed.

Still, she hadn't said a word as they'd followed her down the hall. The noise of shuffling feet was all that was heard as they slipped inside her room. Not sparing even a glance at them, she went straight to the bathroom and shut the door. When they heard the sound of water, Neji knew that she would be there for a while.

"You guys go get some rest. As soon as I get a report on what happened, I'll let you guys know," he told them dismissively.

Reluctantly, they did as told, though Sasuke spared one last, long glance at the closed bathroom door. "Tell her that whatever she needs, she'll get from us," he said over his shoulder, just before he closed the door.

Neji ignored him. For some reason, he still found his presence near Tenten unsettling. Of course, that was something that he couldn't afford wasting time on. So he shook the feeling aside and took a seat by the door. Truthfully, he was unsure whether his presence in her room would disturb her, but he stayed nonetheless.

In the time that followed, he tried meditating but was unsuccessful. The gears of his mind kept working, ruthlessly throwing at him horrible scenarios of what had happened and what might have happened. He was so absorbed in worry, that when she finally stepped out, he was more glad than angry.

Noticing him, Tenten smiled weakly but offer nothing more. With short steps, she made her way to the bed without addressing once what had happened. She looked tired, but that was no excuse to keep them in the dark. Neji's confusion and worry gave way to annoyed anger. Weren't women normally the ones who wanted to talk about everything? Yet, here she was, happy to keep him in ignorance.

"I'm not ignoring you," Tenten said.

Neji wondered for a moment if he'd blurted his thoughts out loud, but knew he hadn't. Tenten had the uncanny ability to read his mind even when he kept his face carefully blank.

"You could've fooled me," he responded sternly, wishing he could push his emotions aside. Never had they come in between him and reason before, but it seemed that this was the price to pay if he wanted to be with her. If so, then he was willing to pay it with interest.

Tenten sighed, rolled onto her side and patted the empty space beside her. "Come to bed."

Neji let go of some of his anger and went to her. He could deny her nothing it would seem.

"Why won't you tell me what happened?" he asked, staring at her face, trying not to be distracted by how lovely she looked.

Her eyes trailed to his hands and she stared at them absently. When she started chewing on her lower lip, he knew that she was trying to sort out her thoughts. Neji didn't press her to hurry. He'd vowed that he would do his best to give her as much space and independence as she needed, even if he got hurt in the process. The least he wanted was to add unnecessary pressure on an already overwhelming situation.

"If I tell you what happened… do you promise not to freak out?" Neji couldn't help the glare. For some reason, Tenten found that funny because she chuckled softly. "Alright, maybe that wasn't the best way to start this…"

"Tenten, I'm already freaking out so just tell me… please."

She nodded, took a deep breath and reached for his hand. He entwined his fingers with hers, wanting her to know that whatever happened, he was going to be there for her. Always.

"They found out."

"They found out what?" It was with effort that his voice didn't come out pitchy. He was already imagining the worst, which couldn't be possible because they hadn't been taken prisoners yet… or had they?

Tenten provided a short summary of what had happened, but he could feel she'd left some things out. Of course, most of his concern was in regards to Shin's solution. He was glad Tenten hadn't accepted his proposal, but she had yet to state how she'd gotten out of the bind she'd been in.

"What did you offer them, Tenten?" he asked carefully, trying not to sound too pushy. He barely managed it.

"Neji, tomorrow," she was looking him straight in the eye for the first time since she'd come out. "Something is going to happen and… I need you to trust me, okay?"

"You are asking me to trust you and yet you don't trust me enough to tell me everything," he pointed out. He was trying not to be overly emotional, but he couldn't hide his hurt. Did she trust him this little?

She flinched as though he'd slapped her and he wanted so much to take back his words. Yet, he could see that his statement had hit home and she was reconsidering her decision.

"I secured a way out for you guys."

His heart was racing at what wasn't said. "What about you?"

Her hold on his hand tightened, as if she was afraid that he would pull away at any moment. He didn't want to think the worst but her hesitation wasn't helping. Damn it! What had she done!

"What about you, Tenten?" he repeated, tightening his hold on her hand.

"I'll have to fight my way out," she responded and, before he could say anything else, she disclosed the offer she'd made. "I'm to duel Nobu. If I lose, you guys will be able to leave unharmed. If I win, they will release my father and we can all leave."

Neji lost his voice for a moment. He was having trouble processing what she'd said. She had agreed to a one-on-one fight against a man that was twice her size, thrice her weight and who had plenty more fighting experience. Not to mention, this was the same man who'd orchestrated the demise of her Clan. Was it strange that he was worried and slightly pissed that he hadn't even been consulted before making the decision?

Neji pulled away from her, trying to make sense of everything. He rolled onto his back and glared at the ceiling. He wasn't being fair. Tenten wasn't his and he'd made this mistake before. They were teammates with something more going on which they hadn't yet talked about. How could he demand that she ask for his permission when he did not own her to begin with?

He'd known that this entire mission was something that concerned her most of all. It was her father's life that was on the line! Yet, Neji had never considered the fact that she might risk herself in order to save her father and them! He'd known that there were bound to be occasions where she would have to walk alone, but to fight alone? Was he supposed to just pat her back, smile at her reassuringly and watch passively as she walked into a den filled with venomous serpents?

He grounded his teeth, half-afraid that they would crack under the pressure he was subjecting them to. He wanted to believe that Tenten's skills were superior, but where was the proof? He had never seen Nobu fight in order to compare, but he knew about him. He'd heard stories about the prowess of the Oschiros, specifically about the Serpent in their midst. He bit back a colorful curse before it could roll down his tongue as his frustration and impotence rose. He understood why she hadn't wanted him to know and, for a split second, he wished he'd forced her to stay in Konoha.

"Neji, please… I need you to trust me," she moved closer to him, grabbing his head and forcing him to look back at her. He felt his eyes tearing up for reasons that were too many to voice. Her voice was shaking and there was an undeniable plea in her eyes, "I can't do this alone. I need you to be okay with this. I need to know that you're with me, even if it's from the sidelines. I need to know that you _believe_ I can do this!"

He took a moment to reign his emotions back in. He fell into the breathing exercise that always preceded his meditation. When the crushing sensation that had taken a hold of his heart lifted, he searched for her hand. Relief flooded her eyes and it was enough incentive for him to try to do as told.

"You'll make it," Neji decided, forcing himself to believe it so. She had to make it. She had to win, or else…

"I'll make it," she agreed with a small smile, kissing him tenderly on the lips.

And though he knew that this moment of affection wouldn't wipe away his concern, he gave in and kissed her back. Afterwards, he held her tightly in his arms, hoping that their story would not end as tragically as her parent's story had.

Neji lied awake the entire night, trying to come up with an alternate solution to the mess they had gotten themselves in. As the sun rose, however, he gave in to the inevitable. He would support her in the challenge to come. If the worst happened, he would interfere with the duel and come to her rescue. If he couldn't save her, then he would die with her. Whatever the outcome, he would trust her. Whatever happened, he would make sure that they stayed together… in life or in death.

So when it was time to wake her up, he did so with a kiss. Neji couldn't help being impressed by the fact that, even though it was her life that was in the balance, she'd succumbed to a deep slumber in his arms. He watched as she came awake with a smile on her lips. She kissed him tenderly some more before pulling away. She gained her feet and started stretching her limbs, determination evident in her face. She looked so calm and composed that he wondered if she was in shock. Whatever the case, he realized that he preferred to have her confident rather than trembling with fear.

"I'll let the others know what's going on." He didn't phrase it as a question. They were their teammates and, out of respect, they needed to be made aware of the situation.

Tenten nodded her agreement, moving towards her pack as he left the room. He quickly filled in the rest of the team. It had been evident for them as well that something had changed, and Neji felt guilty at not having spoken to them right after he'd discovered what was going on. Lee looked like he'd had a restless night and so did Sasuke. Naruto was more solemn than usual and Akamaru was lying on the floor trying not to whimper.

"We should let Shikamaru and his team know… just in case," Sasuke pointed out.

Neji nodded his agreement, "Send Akamaru to rely the message."

"Are we really going to let her do this?" Lee interrupted them, concern evident in his tone. "I mean… I trust her but this man he's-"

"It's her call," Naruto reminded them with a shrug. His attempt at nonchalance, however, was belied by the lack of his usual smile. "I don't know her as much as some of you do but… She's strong and she has something and someone to fight for. We've all been in her shoes, haven't we?"

Naruto's words made Neji ashamed of his thoughts last night. He was right. How many times had he left Tenten behind and made the decision to risk his life for something he believed in? How many times had he walked away from her in order to settle something that he thought did not concern her? Could he blame her for doing the same?

"Whatever happens, we need to be ready to adapt and spring into action if needed be," Neji reminded them, at a loss as to what else to say.

"So, if things go wrong, we are interfering, right?" Lee asked, almost pleading.

Neji didn't know what to answer so he didn't. That was a decision that each of them had to take on their own. Neji had already made his, but he had no right to ask anything else out of them than was strictly necessary to ensure the success of the mission.

He turned around, intent on returning to see if Tenten needed anything, when Lee grabbed his arm, stopping him. His grip was so strong that Neji wouldn't be surprised if he marked the spot with a bruise.

Turning his full attention on him, Neji grabbed Lee's wrist and pulled his hand away, trying not to be too brusque but failing to be gentle as well. "She'll make it, Lee." When he still looked unconvinced, Neji gave him a pat on the shoulder and added, "We'll make sure of it."

Lee seemed satisfied with that, so Neji made his way into Tenten's room. In silence, he followed her movements as she went to the vanity. She took a seat and for a moment did nothing. She stared at her face intently, as if searching for something, before taking the brush and untangling her wavy locks. Methodically, she parted her hair in two exact halves and then began tucking them into her usual buns. Neji frowned.

"I'm Tetsua Tenten," she told him and he noticed her gaze on him through the mirror. "If I don't need to hide, I might as well flaunt it."

Neji didn't know if this was a good idea, but decided not to question her. He felt his stomach being tied in knots and wished he could just take her place. Kami, he wouldn't have hesitated to risk his life for her and her happiness. But her risking her own life was a whole different thing. He didn't like it. Heck, he didn't know how to handle it…

Damn it! He couldn't lose her! But what else was he supposed to do? It didn't matter how out of control things where, Neji couldn't help feel as though he'd failed. Gai's sadden face popped into his mind and, for the fifth time, he wondered if he would end up like him; waiting on a ghost and regretting the 'what-ifs'.

"You ready?" she asked him, meeting him by the door. She was wearing a black traveling coat above her attire. He stared at it intently and for an insane moment, he thought that maybe they were leaving, that maybe she wasn't going to go through with the duel.

"Neji, I need you focused," she snapped him out of his hopes, shattering them with her words.

How unlike him to get caged in idealistic dreams! He knew her enough to know that she would never run away and leave someone behind. That was what made her who she was. That was one of the things he loved about her. But that was also one of the things she could do without right this instant!

"I should be the one asking if you're ready, shouldn't I?" He was afraid. Kami, he was so afraid that he was shaking uncontrollably. He needed to be strong, but he was weak and frightened.

She must have detected this, because she smiled at him reassuringly, caressing his cheek softly. Even now, she was trying to comfort him instead of the other way around! How much of a failure could he be!

"It'll be alright," she spoke with such conviction that he had no other choice but to believe her. He wanted those words to be true. He needed them to be true, if only to keep his sanity.

She went to the door and was about to open it, but he placed his arms around her rendering her still. He hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go but knowing that he had to. In silence he prayed to whoever held control over their destinies to keep her safe. Kami, what would he do if this was the last time he held her? How would he survive?

"I'll be there for you, Tenten," he promised, barely keeping his tears at bay. She must have heard the tremble on his voice or probably felt the shaking of his limbs, because she hugged him back fiercely. "No matter what happens, I will never leave you. I can never let you go…"

Her breath sounded loud in his ear and there was a hitch to it that made him think she was having trouble keeping her tears at bay as well. She didn't say anything, though. Instead, she just nodded her head and, after a moment, pulled away. He let go of her reluctantly. He told himself that the sooner they got this over with the faster he would be with her again.

"Let's do this," she told him, squaring her shoulders and stripping her face of every emotion. Had he not been so heartbroken, he would have smiled with pride.

The rest of their team was already outside, waiting. Lee seemed to be having a hard time not giving in to an emotional outpour. Tenten must have sensed this as well, because she gave him a quick, tight hug and whispered something soothing into his ear. Neji hoped that whatever she'd said were not lies.

In silence, the group followed her down the hall. He could sense everyone's reluctance to walk further into the compound, including his. The sound of their footsteps sounded like a march of mourning. He tried to keep his thoughts from becoming negative and morbid, but the odds seemed against them. Neji had read the Black Widow's journal and he couldn't help thinking about that one phrase her mother had written in more than one occasion.

Fate, why must you hate me so?

Before he could do something rash and stupid, they stepped into the biggest room of the Compound. This was it, there was no turning back. Even though he was wearing his bandages, Neji recognized the room. It was here where Tenten had made her debut as Saito Ai. It seemed like a joke, then, that she would reveal who she was in the same place.

The noise that had greeted them dwindled into a soft buzz. Tenten strolled into the room with her head held high. Neji didn't know if they thought her hairdo strange or familiar. It would be hard, however, not to notice the change in her. She wasn't Saito Ai anymore. There was none of her seductive charm. Instead, there was a presence of power wrapped around her like a mantle.

Neji activated his byakugan, quickly searching for a specific signature. He found it in the middle of the room, standing between Ryota and Shin. By the way it fluctuated; Neji could tell that Nobu was more interested than confused. In fact, he seemed almost in the verge of excitement. Did he know, then, what was about to happen? Had someone told him? Warned him?

"I have asked your leader to gather you here today so that I may come clean about whom I truly am," Tenten began. Her voice was steady and loud enough to be heard throughout the compound without actually yelling.

The crowd fell silent so that the only sound was the wind howling outside. Slowly, she undid the buttons of her coat and threw it off, displaying some kind of attire that made everyone gasp. Neji wanted to rip his bandages off, but knew better than to give in to his emotions. Surely, she wouldn't have walked in naked, would she?

"I am Tetsua Tenten, heir to the Tetsua Clan."

There was a chorus of hushed sounds coming from the crowd; whispers and murmurs, mostly. Granted, there was a lack of cheers but at least there weren't any curses either. It was as if collectively the crowd wanted to say more, but there was something or someone stopping them. The tension in the air became almost palpable. Neji felt it entering his body, pulling and biting at his nerves.

Instinctively, he moved a little closer to Tenten, his body prepared to stop whoever tried to harm her. Around them, the rest of their team did the same. If Tenten felt as worried as he did, she hid it well.

Nobu's loud laughter shut every other whispering voice down. It was a loud and obnoxious sound. Not mirthless in the least.

"Yes, I can see how that's possible. You looked too much like the traitor for it to be a coincidence," he admitted jeeringly. "So, did you come here to beg for your father's life? To petition for his freedom maybe? Or have you come to replace the lovely Black Widow, who entrained us so much the last she was here?"

Tenten's voice came out cool and collected, "The release of my father is merely the consequence, not the cause of my visit."

"I knew there was somethin' wrong with this bitch!" Hiro snarled, giving a step forward menacingly. In a blink he was on the floor, holding his cheek.

"Shut up and be still," Ryota instructed. "As long as I'm the leader of this Clan we will conduct ourselves with the honor befitting the Oschiros. I have no place for beasts within my ranks." Then, turning his attention to Tenten, he addressed her, "Speak the reason for your visit, Tetsua."

Tenten's hand raised, index finger pointing in the direction of the biggest man in the room. "I've come to challenge you to a duel, Oschiro Nobu, so that we may finish what we started all those years ago."

Murmurs broke all around. Nobu gave a step forward, his energy bouncing with sadistic excitement. The crowd parted between them as if pushed around by the tension between the two figures.

"That is good and all." He said sardonically, "But while my Clan offers the life of your father if you win, what can you offer us in turn?"

Neji noticed Tenten's bafflement in how her chakra seemed to stop flowing fluidly. This was something that it seemed neither her nor Ryota had considered. Yet, Ryota couldn't help her. It would be unseemly. But she wasn't alone either. She had him and her team. And so, Neji decided to do the only thing he could to help her out. He stood forward in order to stand by her side and, before she could stop him, he ripped his bandages off and showed them his eyes.

"She offers you a Hyuga."

"What are you doing?" Tenten's fingers dug into his arm. When he turned to look at her, he saw intense fright accumulated in her eyes. It was wrong of him, it truly was, but he couldn't help the happiness of being confronted with such worry. Tenten had been so distracted by everything that, more than once, he'd felt forgotten by her. Not now, though. Now he knew that she felt just as fiercely for him as she felt for her. Now she knew that risking his life was something that she didn't like as well.

So here she was, silently pleading him not to put his life on the line. This time, though, he couldn't give her what she wanted, just like she couldn't run away from the situation like he wanted.

"Neji, don't do this! Why are you doing this!" She must have seen the resolution in his eyes, because her hold on his arm tightened, almost stopping his circulation. She was struggling to keep calm and failing. He hated putting her in such a situation, but there was no other way.

Neji smiled with the same confidence she'd used before on him and answered simply, "I'm trusting you, Tenten."

**To be Continued…**

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**AN: **So obviously this wasn't the last chapter. There's a perfect reason for why I did this. I realized that this chapter was getting extremely long. I could have done two things: one, get rid of some scenes and rush others. Two, split it into two chapters.

I thought that you guys deserve to have the full story, well-thought out, so I decided to give it to you. You guys have to understand that for an author (even an amateur, fanfic author like me) the ending to a story is something of great importance… and great worry. The ending of the story either makes it or breaks it. So far, this story has been liked, read, commented on and appreciated by many of you. For that, I am deeply honored and grateful. And it is also because of that, that I'm trying my best to write a fitting ending. So bear with me if I take a little while before posting the next chapter. Know that I am trying my best to write an ending that will be worth the wait.

Please let me know what you think so far if you have the time and the inclination. Thank you for all the support!


	20. Melted Steel

**Revised:** 6/07/2012

**Thanks to my awesome reviewers:** Anthropomorphichybrid, Dokuritsu17, Steenta112, DarkAnonymous324, Sayori Hollyhood, Kenzinator, Nina, SwammyPenguinDinosaur and Just Lovely.

**Author's notes: **Apologies for the long wait. The final chapter is here ~**Enjoy**!

**Typos pointed out by:** anthropomorphichybrid and Just Lovely.

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"_Each betrayal contains a perfect moment, a coin stamped heads or tails with salvation on the other side..."_

_~ Barbara Kingsolver ~_

"**Melted Steel"**

By: FenixPhoenix (Giselle González)

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**Chapter 20: "Melted Steel"**

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**Hyuga Neji **exchanged a lingering look with Tenten before he was taken away. He tried not to feel guilty about the distressed look on her face. Had he done the right thing? In trying to help her, had he doomed her to failure? He knew that fighting for her father's life had been heavy enough on her mind and now he'd added his own life to the equation. Yet, there was a part of him –one that was selfish and morbid—that was happy at her reaction because he'd seen her eyes fill with grief and fear and, maybe, even love…

His escort halted. They were standing before the old, worn door that led to the compound's basement. He flinched when one of his guards pushed the door open and proceeded inside. Squaring his shoulders, he followed down the stairs, knowing full well who awaited them. Images of what had transpired the day before paraded through his mind. His instincts had gotten the best out of him and he'd touched Tenten intimately in front of her own father!

_This is going to be fun_, he thought sardonically, resenting his lack of control.

The descent felt eternal. By the time they reached the basement, his heartbeat was throbbing in his temples. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, feeling oppressing warmth burning him, threatening to choke him.

The guard behind him pushed him forward, a silent order to keep moving. Resigned, he stepped into the darkness, reminding himself to breathe. When they reached the place where Ryuu was sitting, Neji knelt and his neck was soon encased into a bronze collar that had a leash made of thick chain. The end of it was hooked and locked to the wall, allowing him just enough reach to perhaps give five to six steps away from the wall but no more.

The head of the guards stared at the other prisoner and, half-turning to one of his companions, he ordered, "Get the Rat down here with some water, a knife and a new set of clothes for the Dragon."

If Ryuu was surprised, he gave no indication of it. In fact, it was hard to read him given that the shadows were doing a magnificent job of veiling his features. Neji fought the temptation to use his byakugan and closed his eyes as if bored.

Sometime later, a wiry man of average height materialized from the shadows, awkwardly holding two buckets filled with steaming water and a large bag strapped to his left shoulder. The man struggled forward with an accentuated limp, trying not to spill too much water with little success.

Neji studied him with half-lidded eyes. He didn't know what to make of him. He didn't look very old and yet he carried himself like an old man, as though a heavy burden had made a hump out of his back. His long, brown hair was tied in a messy ponytail that hinted to being unwashed for more than a couple of days and there seemed to be permanent half-moons under his eyes. He wasn't clothed in rags but his entire appearance looked worn and faded. No matter how he looked at him, the picture he presented seemed wrong. Was he some kind of lowly servant? One that was often mistreated, perhaps? His mangled hands, his limp and the scar that went from temple to ear, were they not an indication of his rank –or lack thereof?

Beside him, Ryuu, who had yet to move a muscle, tensed when the stranger unpacked the things nearby. The guards did not detect his change; either that or they didn't care, their eyes trained on the newcomer.

"Make him presentable for tomorrow," the head guard ordered harshly, towering over the bent man. "And don't do anything funny, you hear? Or the next time we meet, might not be as pleasant as this."

The man called Rat lowered his head in either submission or acceptance, Neji was not sure, but said nothing. The guard pushed him roughly aside, making him tumble onto hands and knees as he passed him by. The rest of the guards followed him, leaving in their wake palpable tension. It permeated the air, becoming heavier as the silence stretched.

Neji had never been one to dislike silence but this was different. He felt the ridiculous need to say something but didn't know what. He cursed his lack of skills at small talk, even when knowing that asking Ryuu how he'd been might be taken as mockery.

Rat struggled to his feet, breaking the silence. He limped towards his pack and procured a small stool from it. Slowly, with measured movements, he set it near Ryuu almost as if in offering. Rat's head lowered even more and Neji noticed that he was doing his best to avoid looking Ryuu directly in the eye.

Neji read fear in Rat; in the way he was trying to make himself as little as possible, as if afraid he would be attacked otherwise. It was ironic, given that Neji and Ryuu were both securely tied with no weapons at hand. But when Neji caught a flash of shame crossing Rat's face, he reconsidered his initial judgment. Neji suspected there was some kind of history between the two men. As curious as he was, he kept silent, knowing it wasn't his place to ask.

Stretching his muscles casually, Ryuu stood up. He was taller than he looked, a good five inches taller than Neji himself. Impassively, he began peeling his rags away in layers. Neji zeroed on the countless marks on his body left by one too many blades. The scars crisscrossed into obvious patterns through skin and muscles. He'd been in enough missions to be able to differentiate when a wound was made in battle and when it was not. Ryuu's body sported a sadistic testament of years of torture.

Neji met Ryuu's stoic gaze and blushed at having been caught. He hadn't meant to be rude. Belatedly did he realize that he should have given him privacy by looking away and mentally kicked himself for his lack of manners. This was not the start he'd been looking for…

"You were here with my daughter only yesterday and now you're here with me," Ryuu pointed out, sitting on the stool completely naked and not the least bit embarrassed.

Neji was at a loss as to what to say. He hadn't phrased it as a question, so he wasn't sure if an answer, even if obvious, was expected. Even so, he nodded his head sharply but couldn't look back at those hazel eyes, afraid of what he might find there. Accusation? Anger?

Neji's eyes trailed towards Rat, watching as he pulled a hard sponge out of one of the buckets. He noticed his hand trembling slightly as the sponge rubbed against the skin of Testua Ryuu, turning the spot a raw shade of pink.

"So tell me, Hyuga, what am I being prepped for?"

For some reason Ryuu's business-like tone unnerved him. Neji had always prided himself in his ability to hide behind a mask, but Ryuu was just as much a master.

"They found out she's your daughter," Neji answered, thinking that if it were him, he would appreciate curt honesty more than beating around the bush.

Ryuu's shoulders hunched but beside that there was no indication that the news affected him. "Tell me everything... from the beginning."

"It'll be a long story."

It startled him when Ryuu's lips parted into an amused smile, "I've got nowhere else to be for the time being. Do you?"

Neji shook his head but jutted his chin in Rat's direction. Ryuu's eyes moved to Rat, making the man squirm under his scrutiny, again not with fright but with overwhelming shame. Neji's curiosity doubled when he noted that Ryuu face displayed not disgust or anger but sympathy.

"It's alright, isn't it, kinsman?"

Neji's eyebrows rose. Had he heard correctly? Kinsman…? If that was true, then Tenten and her dad where not the only ones left! But if so, then who was this man? The Black Widow's journal had never spoken of a third Tetsua being alive. Yet much as he wanted to know, Neji kept the question to himself. In time, perhaps, he would learn more, but this was not his time to get answers.

It was as if the question had broken a dam. A strange sob ripped out of Rat's throat and tears followed soon after. Rat wept; muffled sobs shaking his frame. Ryuu did not extend a hand in comfort, but when he took the sponge from Rat's limp hands, he did so tenderly. Slowly, he started cleaning himself while Rat lay on his knees, with his head on the floor, crying as silently as he could.

It was hard to ignore how shocking the event was, but Neji forced himself to do it when Ryuu spoke, "So tell me, Hyuga-"

"Neji."

Ryuu amended, "Neji, why did my daughter come back and why are you sharing a prison with me?"

Neji resigned himself to a long talk and a complex explanation. He began his tale with the mission Tsunade had given them before Tenten had discovered who she really was. To his credit, Ryuu did not hurry him or interrupt. It was awkward to talk while he bathed, but Neji kept his eyes on the ground and trusted that if any question aroused, Ryuu would simply ask them.

Eventually, he finished bathing and Rat, now composed, began to help him dress so that Neji was able to look him in the face when he reached the part of finding the Black Widow's journal. He continued speaking, explaining how Tenten had gone to Sasuke to help with her memories, while Rat took out a shaving knife from his pack.

The man seemed to struggle for a second, barely able to hold the knife in his twisted fingers. Neji tensed a little when he approached Ryuu, but the man sat on the dried stool and tilted his head back, allowing his kinsman to slowly –so very slowly cut and shave his long beard.

By the time Neji finished, Ryuu had been thoroughly groomed. He was wearing a kimono of fine dark silk with a dragon embroidered on the back in golden thread. His hair was washed and Rat had cut it into a Mohawk with a long, thin ponytail coming out his nape and reaching down his back. Cleaned and dressed as he was, Ryuu looked even more formidable than before and Neji couldn't help but compare him to Tenten. He was her father, alright, the similarities were striking!

"You have not asked me anything," Neji pointed out, more for the sake of breaking the silence than anything else. Tenten would laugh if she ever found out that he thirsted for conversation with her father. Or was it that he was hoping for acceptance?

Ryuu adjusted the belt of the kimono before sitting down on his original spot. Thanks to their proximity, Neji noticed the strained lines on his face. Though he hadn't said anything, the news Neji had given him had affected him.

"I did not mean to imply disinterest by my silence. I've become unused to voicing my thoughts as of late. You have to understand, I don't get that many visitors and the ones I did get…," his lips quirked into a bitter smile, "well, they were merely figments of my imaginations and would hardly sustain a rational conversation with me."

Neji didn't know what to say to that. To his relief, Ryuu continued, "You care for my daughter?"

"I do."

A pause followed by the dreaded question, "Are you her… partner?"

Neji fought the unusual need to squirm. He wondered if Ryuu was thinking about the way he'd kissed his daughter the day before. His tongue darted out to lick dry lips. He wasn't sure what he and Tenten were, but he knew what he wanted them to be. So he settled for disclosing that rather than stammer something that might be a lie.

"I am her friend but, I won't lie to you, sir," he turned to look at the man beside him. If he couldn't tell him, then how would he ever tell Tenten? "I want to be more than that. I love your daughter. I love her so much, I didn't hesitate to put my life on the line for the possibility of providing her a happy ending."

Ryuu didn't say anything for a while. Neji didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. Truth was, even if this man had been a stranger a month ago, he wasn't anymore. He was Tenten's father. If everything went according to plan, he would be part of her life and, eventually, if Tenten allowed it, his as well. As absurd as it sounded, Neji wanted –no, he craved his approval just as much as he wished for his blessing.

"If you love her as much as you claim, then why did you allow this? Why did you not stop her from coming back?"

It was an accusation more than a question. Neji regarded the harshness of Ryuu's tone for what it meant; it was his last defense against the fear of losing his daughter. In the corner, near the shadows, Rat gave a small whine, as though he too was to blame for the decision.

Neji mulled over how to phrase his answer. He'd asked himself this same question over and over. Only the night before, he'd lain in bed with Tenten, coming up with the what-ifs. What if he had stopped her from coming back? What if he'd asked Tsunade to put her under ANBU surveillance? But he also knew that if he'd done things differently, he might have lost her.

"In her journal, your wife often said Tenten took after you, sir," Neji started, glad that his voice was calm and composed. "So I think you might not find it strange that there were only two options for me. One was to try and stop her. But if I'd done that, Tenten would have found a way to slip past me and would have tried to rescue you on her own. That is who she is… Once her mind is set, there's not changing it." Neji saw a small, sad smile grace Ryuu's face. "So I chose the only other option available. I chose to trust her and follow her and do everything in my power to make sure she succeeded in her enterprise."

"And yet she may die," Ryuu pointed out, bitterness heavy in his tone. "And you have left her side."

Neji shook his head. "She won't. She's…," he struggled for words, but his frustration was rising quickly, veiling his mind. Never in his life had he felt so tongue-tied, "She…she won't fail." What happened? Why had his conviction deserted him all of a sudden? Where had it gone? "She _has_ to make it." Had he really failed her?

A hand on his shoulder stopped his wayward thoughts. Neji's throat closed up, his words dying unspoken. He looked back at the solemn man beside him, expecting to see anger. He was surprised when he found understanding instead. There was more power in Ryuu that met the eye and Neji felt strangely reassured. Ivory met hazel and there was an immediate bond born from an unvoiced promise.

"If the time comes, Hyuga Neji, we'll make sure no harm comes to her, won't we?" he asked.

"Yes," the word came out of his lips as if in a trance. He was glad of the conviction behind it. He knew Ryuu had stored chakra in his body, enough to maybe help Tenten out if needed be.

Ryuu's attention switched to the figure who'd stepped out of the shadows and was now kneeling, forehead pressed to the dirty ground not in shame, but in respect.

"And you, kinsman…cousin, won't you help us fix this wrong?" he asked, with equal hints of steel and gentleness lacing his tone.

Rat straightened and looked Ryuu in the eye for the first time, hazel eyes shining with unshed tears. Determination was written in his face and he nodded once, not saying a word. Neji couldn't help looking down at the man's hands. His fingers were a mess, as though they'd been broken and had healed wrong. Neji had witnessed him barely able to hold the knife that had shaved Ryuu, which did nothing to reassure him. He didn't know how helpful the man could be in a fight, but he also knew that it was not his place to question Ryuu or to turn away help.

"Then go now, before they wonder why prepping me has taken you so long," Ryuu advised and Rat gained his feet, grabbed his stuff and limped his way into the darkness and up the stairs.

"He's a silent one, isn't he?" Neji pointed out, his natural distrust wondering at the reason for not verbally committing to the vow.

Ryuu shook his head, "It's only natural to be silent when your ability to talk has been taken away."

Neji turned to him with a frown, not quite understanding.

"His tongue was ripped out."

Neji's eyebrows rose all the way to his hairline and he suppress a shudder at the mental image. "Why?"

"For betraying his Clan."

Neji looked back at the shadows, suddenly appalled as realization drew in. '_We were betrayed'_ he recalled the line scribbled with anger in the Black Widow's journal. "That man…?"

Ryuu nodded, almost as if he'd heard his thoughts. "He was the one who told the Oschiros of our plan to leave the village."

Neji tried to make sense of that piece of information. If Rat was the one who'd betrayed the Tetsuas, then was his task to make Ryuu presentable an insult to both men? If the Oschiros had meant it that way, then they would be gravely disappointed. Not once had Ryuu shown anger towards Rat or even looked at him with disgust. Quite the contrary, he had confided in him and spoken to him civilly. What's more, he'd even called him kinsman! How could this man be so forgiving?

Ryuu must have read this on Neji's face because he smiled sadly and said, "Nothing is what it seems. In life, when is anything just black or white?"

Neji frowned at the cryptic words but said nothing more. What could he say?

"Will you tell me about her?" Ryu asked, smoothly changing the subject.

Neji could deny the man nothing, especially not this. He spoke promptly, recalling each and every memory that he'd shared with Tenten. He was surprised to find that no matter how much time had passed, his memories were vivid in their detail.

The more Neji talked the less he wanted to stop. He'd never talked to anyone about Tenten like this. The sensation of opening a box inside his heart and letting the contents out to take a breath was refreshing and welcomed. The more he shared the more he understood how much Tenten had changed his life and how much she'd come to mean to him.

But the knowledge was bittersweet. It not only confirmed his love and devotion for her, but it also reaffirmed his growing fear that he may lose her on the morrow. He fisted his hands when they began to tremble. It was embarrassing and yet he couldn't rein back his emotions, let alone hide them! And in that moment of great need and vulnerability, he found solace in an unlikely place with an unlikely man.

Ryuu placed a hand on his shoulder, fingers squeezing and, before he knew it, before he could stop it, Neji did something he had never done in front of anyone.

Hyuga Neji cried.

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten **took a deep breath, sat on the floor, folded her legs and closed her eyes. She couldn't freak out. She had to keep calm. Neji had often preached that meditation was a way to clear the mind and Tenten hoped he hadn't been lying. Because she needed this. She needed to believe that she could forget what happened, if only to keep sane.

Tenten focused on the image of a meditating Hyuga and set about copying his pose. Neji had the tendency to mediate for at least an hour before and after every training session and mission and had more than once tried to coax Tenten into doing the same. But she was stupid. And being a stupid person she did stupid things. Like ignoring his efforts and blaming it on her lack of patience, which she'd argued was so ingrained in her veins that she could not learn it even if she tried.

But could anyone blame her disinterest? She found it extremely hard to stay still and do what looked like nothing! So while Neji had meditated, she'd always entertained herself by polishing her blades or taking inventory of her weapons. Not once had it occurred to her that one day Neji would not be there and she would have a wish to share his hobby.

Tenten wished she'd listened more attentively to Neji's explanations. She'd always assumed that all you had to do was sit and not think of anything. Yet, that was much easier said than done. How was she supposed to toss everything out of her mind to begin with? How was she expected to keep calm when the lives of the two most important people in the world for her were on the line? How was she supposed to find that place of calm and soothing nothingness when so many emotions and thoughts kept racing through her head, making her dizzy?

Reluctantly, Tenten desisted in her attempt to ignore the mess she had unintentionally gotten Neji into. She sat there for a while, feeling forsaken by kami-sama, destiny or whatever the force toying with her went by these days. She pulled her mother's repaired sword out of the scroll she'd tucked it in, desperately hoping that it would provide some comfort. Small as the possibility might be, it beat doing nothing. So she pulled her cleaning kit from her bag and automatically began to polish the steel. She relied on pure muscle memory. She didn't have to think about it, she just did it. As the cloth moved up and down the blade, Tenten momentarily forgot her fear and anger.

Her eyes soften as they took in the glint of cold steel. The more she touched the blade, the calmer she felt. Eventually, she heard the hum of the steel singing its appreciation. Tenten could still detect the anger in the sword, but there was also a sense of peace blossoming in its core. It was as if the imprint left by her mother knew that Tenten hadn't broken her promise, that she'd come back and had prepared everything for a chance at justice.

She didn't know how long she kept caressing the blade. Time seemed superfluous. It was a weird sensation, like leaving your body behind and floating in peaceful nothingness. She was starting to slip deeper into that comforting peace, when there was a knock on the door.

Tenten cursed when the illusion she'd constructed broke, allowing stress to claw its way back into the back of her neck. She was about to deny entrance to the intruder, when the door slid open to admit Rock Lee. His expression was one of worry and it was that which gave Tenten pause. Though he tried to hide it, Tenten could still make out how tightly he was clenching his jaw and how he kept flexing his fingers, as though they were itching to hit something or someone. A wave of guilt slapped her. How egocentric of her to think that she was the only one affected by the unexpected turn of events.

"You should try to get some sleep," he advised, his tone lacking his usual exuberance.

With a sigh, she placed the blade back inside its scroll and reclined her head on the wall. "Even if I try, I don't think I'll be able to."

Lee answered with a sigh of his own and went to sit by her. "I know. I just thought it was worth a try."

Tenten nodded, grateful to be spared unnecessary discussion about the subject which had sullen them both. The moment of silence they were sharing seemed fitting and she wasn't ready to have it broken anytime soon. That did not mean, however, that she resented having the company of the man sitting by her side.

She turned to Lee with a smile when he grabbed her hand and squeezed. She hadn't noticed that she'd placed it in the space between them, almost as if in offering. Perhaps she'd done it unconsciously, because she knew that she'd needed this.

Tenten squeezed back and, moving closer to him, rested her head on the shoulder of the man that was like a little brother to her. He had always supported her, pushing her to excel, never believing that there were limits to what she could accomplish. She wished he could make her believe that again, right now.

"I can picture it now," he said after a while.

"What's that?" she asked, closing her eyes and concentrating on his soft voice. It was calm and soothing, like a gentle river.

"Gai-sensei, us three and your father sitting in your little garden, eating a delicious meal and rising our cups to more moments filled with magic rainbows."

Tenten chuckled at his words and the peaceful image they painted. It was weird… but she could picture it too.

"Gai-sensei and I will get your father back in top shape in no time, Tenten. Then, he'll teach you all the youthful techniques that you have always wanted to know. I can picture it, you know?" He met her eyes, certainty clear in their dark depths, "I can picture your happy ending."

Unbidden and inevitable, tears streamed down her cheeks. Lee placed his arms around her and hugged her tightly, cradling her to his chest. Despite all the secrets she'd kept from him, Lee still trusted her, cared for her and loved her in his own awkward way.

"You'll make it, Tenten. I believe in you."

Never had Tenten disappointed Lee and she hoped, with all her heart, that she would not start now. At some point, without realizing, she slipped into a dreamless slumber. She didn't know how long she was out, but when she woke, she felt her muscles sore and tense. It took her a moment to orient herself. She was surprised to find that despite her tumultuous feelings the day before, she'd actually fallen asleep in Lee's arms.

"See, it was worth a try, wasn't it?" Lee flashed a lazy smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

Tenten smiled back, stretching her limbs and arching her back until it cracked. "Should have chosen the bed, I feel like I've been mowed by a pack of bulls."

Lee shook his head, stretching his body as well, "Not even close. I've done that during a mission and it was not as fun as you'd think."

Tenten chuckled, relieved that they could both joke around today of all days. She took a moment to groom herself, making a mental inventory of all the weapons she'd brought, separating the ones that she would use from the ones that would encumber her.

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. "Come in," she said, giving herself a last apprising look before focusing on her visitors.

The door opened to reveal Sasuke, Akamaru and Naruto, the latter holding a tray filled with food. They stepped inside, both more solemn than usual and even Akamaru's trot lacked its bound.

"Oshiro Shin came by to provide the time and place where the duel is to take place," Sasuke informed. Tenten crouched down to give Akamaru a scratch behind the ears.

"Where?" she asked, not meeting their gazes, preparing herself to take the news in stride.

Sasuke crossed his arms and deadpanned, "The Tetsua graveyard at noon."

Tenten smiled sardonically. She should have known! In the information Tsunade had provided, emphasis had been made in Nobu's profile about his usage of any psychological advantage he could exploit to reach his goal. Somewhere inside, Tenten had known there was no place more fitting for this battle.

"Good. It'll be my tribute to the ghosts of my people. I'll have my kinsmen witness my justice from a front row seat," she decided, her hands closing into fists, adrenaline already pumping through her veins.

A pause followed. Tenten rubbed the back of her neck, wishing they could do a better job to hide their distress. She was about throw a witty remark, when Naruto spoke.

"Breakfast anyone?" he offered, placing the tray atop the nearby table in emphasis.

Tenten was grateful for the shift in attention but declined with a, "I'm not hungry." She placed a hand on her stomach, wishing it didn't feel as knotted as it was. It should have been obvious that nervousness would pay her a visit sooner or later.

Lee's warm hand settled on her shoulder, "You should give it a try, Tenten." He moved towards the table and tilted his head wonderingly. His eyes moved through the food, searching for something specific. He turned, "Think fast!"

Tenten caught the object he threw at her. She smiled as she looked down at a red, fresh-looking apple.

"Your favorite!" Lee cheered. "See! This youthful day has started in our favor!"

Tenten took a big bite out of the apple, idly appraising the taste. It tasted nostalgic, as if it had come directly from the home she'd lost. "Might as well dig in," she concluded, grabbing a piece of soft bread and feeding it to Akamaru.

As they broke their fast, Tenten made it a point to move around the room, exchanging banal musings with each member of her team. She grabbed Lee's hand, patted Naruto's back, scratched Akamaru's head and squeezed Sasuke's shoulder, hoping that the action would let them know how much she appreciated all their patience and their trust.

When she finished eating, though, she decided to voice some of her feelings. "Guys, whatever happens, I am honored to have had you with me."

"Don't speak like that," Lee chided sternly. He tried to add a smile, but it was weak and seemed on the verge of dissolving into a grimace of sadness.

"Lee…" she sighed. She knew that more than the words, it was the finality with which she'd spoken that had elicited his reaction. She wanted to fake confidence, but she'd lied enough already and she didn't think she could do it today even if she tried.

Naruto cleared his throat. "Well, I think that after we get back to Konoha, you'll owe us a reward," he said with a mischievous smile and merry eyes.

Tenten quirked an eyebrow, both interested and amused. The rest of her team focused on him, none sure of what he was planning.

Naruto made it a point to frown hard as if he was thinking of a suitable reward. He scratched his chin thoughtfully and, after a moment, punched his open palm, "Pancakes!"

"Pancakes…?" Tenten was officially confused.

Lee smiled, already in tune with Naruto, "Youthful pancakes! What an excellent choice!"

Even the brooding Uchiha agreed, "Indeed, I've heard much about them but I've never actually tried them."

Tenten laughed, feeling a little less tense, "An odd choice, but pancakes it shall be!"

They talked about it for a bit more. Naruto and Lee kept tossing suggestions at her of what the pancakes should look like, what they should taste like, how many should be given to each. Akamaru waggled his tail and barked whenever he agreed with someone, growling when something wasn't to his taste.

A knock on the door rendered them silent. In contrast with the ones before, this was timid, barely audible and Tenten knew exactly to whom it belonged. She stopped Naruto and went to answer. Sure enough, Reina was outside.

"Has the time been changed?" Tenten asked, unsure as to what would have brought her here without the presence of at least her brother.

Reina's hands fisted on her dress, "N-no. I…," she let go of a breath she'd been holding and finally met Tenten's gaze. "Would you come with me for a bit?"

An image of a much younger Reina flashed through her mind. She had always been frail, beautiful and painfully honest. Tenten felt ashamed that she would conceal herself from this girl while Reina wore her emotions on her sleeve. The idea that this might be some kind of trap didn't even cross her mind. Reina was not the kind of person to play dirty and, even if Tenten had changed in the years they'd spent apart, she had the feeling that Reina hadn't.

"Alright," Tenten accepted, moving back into the room to procure her coat and the scroll with her mother's sword.

"Do you want us to follow at a distance?" Sasuke asked in a whisper as she was passing him by.

She nodded, thankful that he had thought of it. Right now she was making an emotional decision. She wanted to believe that Reina was still that little girl that used to follow her around, clinging to her shirt whenever something scared her –which was almost everything back in the day. Yet, Tenten had changed and it was ridiculous not to expect that she might have as well.

So Tenten fell into step beside Reina and noticed -with a glance thrown casually over her shoulder- that a nurse and two guards were close by. Like with her own team, they followed at a reasonable distance, ensuring that their conversation would stay private. Tenten decided to ignore them for now but kept her guard up.

They walked in awkward silence down the hall and past rooms filled with people. Tenten noticed how conversations seemed to hush whenever she walked by, but was glad that nobody offered insult or tried to attack her.

Eventually, they came out through a door Tenten had not seen the day she'd toured the place. She blinked as she took in what laid at the back of the compound. She was standing in a beautiful, well-cared for garden. Beyond that, atop a small hill, was a grand tree that somehow seemed the most majestic piece of all.

Reina breached the silence, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Tenten nodded, not sure what to say or were to even begin a conversation. Too many things had changed…

"It's my father's personal garden," Reina continued unfazed. She smiled, this time sadly and added, "We can't be how we used to be, huh?"

Tenten shook her head, her heart heavy, "We aren't the people we used to be."

Reina swallowed and her voice trembled, "I know but..."

Tenten felt truly uncomfortable for the first time. _Oh, Reina, so open in your emotions. Did your father teach you nothing about hiding behind masks? How have you made it all this time?_ Yet, despite her thoughts, Tenten knew that Ryota and Shintaro would have her remain like this, innocent and beautiful and not touched by the dirt of politics and power play.

"I'm sorry, Tenny," she whispered, tears welling at the corners of her eyes. "I wasn't feeling well the week before the attack. My father and Shintaro left the village to get me to a doctor in the Capital. We didn't hear about my uncle's orders until it was too late. By the time we were back… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"

Tenten wanted to hug her but there was a barrier between them. A barrier that their feud had erected and it seemed unbreakable.

"It wasn't your fault," Tenten was glad that she herself believed the words. If there was anyone to blame it was Nobu and Tetsua Kioji, the man who'd betrayed them.

Reina brushed her tears away furiously, her cheeks and nose a shade of red that contrasted sharply with her pale, white skin. Tenten wondered if it was a good idea for her to be standing below the harsh sun knowing how frail she was.

"Come, Reina," she said, offering her an arm to hold on to. She was already swaying and Tenten was afraid she would pass out. The last she needed would be an upset Ryota blaming her for his daughter's health if something were to happen to her.

Reina didn't even hesitate to grab the arm offered and Tenten's guilt intensified. If it was up to Reina, she knew that they would be friends. But for Tenten it just seemed impossible, absurd even because of the way their lives had diverged.

Completely at ease, Reina leaned on Tenten as they moved up the small hill towards the grand tree on its crown. Tenten was surprised at how light she was. If she wanted, she knew that she could break that one arm without much effort and almost laughed at the irony of having one so weak be second heir to a Clan that boasted strength above all.

Tenten could almost hear the barrier cracking. A part of her was quick to defend the girl's frailty against the accusations thrown about by the Black Widow. This girl had been like a little sister to her and Tenten could guarantee that, even if they never saw each other again, nobody would be able to take her place in Tenten's heart.

She stopped abruptly when they reached the oak tree. It towered over them, tall and majestic, shedding brown leaves like rain with every whip from the wind. Something in its trunk caught her eye and she zeroed in on that detail that was so out of place. Her jaw hung open, her eyes widened, her skin prickled and the next inhale she took came sharply. The mask she'd forged and fought to maintained throughout the last couple of days, slipped off her face completely and cracked on the floor. Her heart hammered inside a chest that seemed to contract, ribs tightening around her organs painfully. The next breaths came labored, as if her lungs could no longer hold air.

Reina's looped arm slipped from hers slowly and she gave a tiny step away. Whatever she saw on Tenten's face had her eyes shimmering with tears.

"This is what I wanted to show you," she whispered, pointing at the wooden, colorless face carved on the trunk of the oak.

Tenten knew that this face was not real, yet the carving was exquisite! If she was ignorant, she would have believed that it was really her, encased on the tree, peacefully slumbering for the day. It pained Tenten to know that if she touched that face, if she called her name… the eyes wouldn't open, the mouth wouldn't talk and her hopes would be shattered…

"Tenny," Reina's voice was tender and it shook with emotions. "Despite the amount of trouble it got him, my father would not have her body disrespected. When we came back, she was lying on the ground, a group of my kinsmen dead around her. He ordered everyone away and knelt before her, holding her hand and asking her forgiveness until she gave her last breath."

Tenten's strength deserted and she fell on her knees with her hands covering her mouth, trying to fight the tears and muffle the sobs lodged on her throat. She was trembling and she didn't know how to defend against the onslaught of emotions. How could she? Before her laid not a simple tree, but a grave that was a carefully crafted altar that breathed life into a special part of her past.

This woman… she'd been so important to Tenten. This woman… she'd promised to always be with her, yet here stood Tenten, alone and deserted.

"My father loved her as his own mother, and for me she was a grandmamma too… I'm sorry, Tenten…" Reina hovered for a while longer. Tenten could tell she was struggling not to extend her arms in comfort. But Tenten made no move to acknowledge her and, after a while, she left without word.

Glad to have no audience to witness her pain, Tenten moved on hands and knees towards that tree and hugged its wide trunk. She clung to it and cried against it and whispered all the things she would have said to the woman if she'd been there. And when at last she managed to look at the carved face straight, she pretended that those lips were smiling and that those closed eyes had softened. She pretended that it had nothing to do with the play of the light as it was filtered through the dying, falling leaves. She pretended that the whoosh of the wind was Mama Bear telling her 'I love you'. She pretended that her grandmamma was watching and that, without a doubt, she was proud.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji** rubbed at his eyes when the guards led them out the compound. The basement had been so dark that the harsh sunlight made his eyes sting and fill with tears. He found Ryuu equally uncomfortable, the white of his eyes tainted red, giving testament to many sleepless nights.

"Keep moving," one of the guards barked, pushing Neji forward insistently.

Neji sighed and marched down the street with their escort of six. Oblivious civilians poked their heads out windows and doors, curiosity evident in quirked brows. Bolder people moved to stand on either side of the dirt road, careful not to stand on their way, yet lingering close enough for Neji to see the excitement on their faces. He wanted to glare daggers at them, but Ryuu caught his eye and his intention and chastised him with a shake of the head.

Neji clenched his jaw and kept his eyes on the back of the guard walking in front of him to lessen –he doubted it could be removed- the temptation to kill someone. They found the doors of the graveyard wide open when they arrived and Neji was grateful to be away from the unwelcomed audience.

Ryuu must have visited the mock compound before because he continued on without losing a stride. They moved slowly through the erected crosses and Neji felt the shackles on his wrists and neck tightening their hold. He knew it was a trick of the mind, but couldn't help pulling at the chains, hoping that this time they would break. A guard gave him a warning look and Neji desisted. The chains were too thick to break with just one pull. He wondered if they thought him strong enough to destroy iron with his bare hands and was tempted to flash them a cocky grin and try again.

Before he could do that, however, Ryuu halted and, in reaction, the guards did as well. Neji saw them exchange looks and realized, for the first time, that the guards were either uncomfortable or unwilling to pull, push or order Ryuu around as they did Neji. Even after all this time being their prisoner, Ryuu still commanded their awe, respect and maybe even their fear.

Filing that aside for further reflection, Neji turned around to see what had given Ryuu pause. In the middle of the clearing where the silver statue of Tenten's uncle was, a bowl-shaped cage made of thick iron had been raised. There were two doors, partially open, that led inside. Everything else, however, was shut tight in a grill fashion. Neji clenched his fists, fear gnawing at him because he understood that soon, Tenten would be caged inside with a giant of a man.

Ryuu shook himself out of wherever his mind had taken him, he squared his shoulders and resumed walking. Relief washed some of the guards' tension and Neji wondered if Ryuu had taken note of the power he held over them. Could they use this in their favor if the time came to jump into action?

The guards led them up some stairs they'd fabricated out of wood. The steps were wide and steep and Neji knew they were the best they could do to provide seating for the crowd that would join them. The guards stopped one step short of the last and made them kneel. The ends of the chains that came from their encased necks were then secured to a hook beside each of them. Unable to stop himself, Neji gave the chain another pull once the guards left.

"Calm down," Ryuu advised, inspecting their surroundings.

Neji grunted but settled down, "I don't like this."

"Nor do I," Ryuu admitted. He jutted his jaw in the direction of the guards that had returned and were relaxing nearby. "Let's not give them any reason to have their eyes on us. If we don't look like we'll give them trouble, the fight will distract them and it'll be easier to catch them off guard."

"You have a way to get these off, then?" Neji raised his bound wrists in emphasis. Kami, once they left this cursed place, he would never want to lay eyes on chains or anything made of iron! The metal heated like crazy and already his skin was getting irritated.

Ryuu said nothing but didn't seem awfully concerned either. With no other option, Neji resigned himself to trust him and wait things out.

**-o0o-**

**Tetsua Tenten** lost track of time. She would have stayed there, leaning against Mama Bear's grave, lost in recollections for a while longer if Lee hadn't come. He cleared his throat, eyeing her worriedly. Had he seen her breaking from a distance? Had he struggled to leave her alone with her pain? Would she have done the same if their places had been reversed?

"Are you alright?"

"Yes," she lied, "Is it time?"

Lee nodded and seemed like he wanted to say something else, but Tenten shook her head, stood up and hugged him.

"Whatever it is, tell me when I emerge victorious," she told him, adding a smile more for his sake than hers. "No matter what, I'll be the one planting a blade in his heart, Lee. I promise you that."

"Yosh!" Lee gave her thumbs-up and a smile just as strained as hers had been. It broke her heart. "You go kick some un-youthful ass!"

Tenten nodded and patted him on the back as she passed him by. She made her way downhill. Naruto and Sasuke were waiting by the door that led out of the compound. Akamaru wasn't there. Tenten assumed that they'd sent him back to Shikamaru to relay the latest. She hoped that they weren't planning anything that might put them at risk. She didn't want to cause more unnecessary death, especially not for her selfish needs.

"Whatever happens, do not interfere, you guys understand?" She told them sternly, waiting for them to nod their confirmation. They did so rather sullenly.

Tenten made her way out the compound and down the street towards the graveyard. She ignored the people lining the streets and concentrated on keeping her breathing steady. At some point, she felt the prickling sensation of eyes digging into the side of her face and turned to find a face standing out from the crowd. She frowned but continued onwards without stopping and as she passed him by, his face stayed in her mind, vivid and strongly familiar. She shook the odd sensation off, reminding herself to keep it together.

When they arrived at the designated field, her eyes swept the gathered crowd, searching for the two people whose life rested on her hands. She found them sitting close to Ryota, Reina and Shintaro. Tenten squinted when Neji moved and something in his neck shimmered, reflecting the sunlight. Shackles. They had shackled them both! Tenten felt anger swelling her breast, making her hands fist tightly. She wanted to cut the metal in half and force it down Nobu's throat.

Rather than ignore it, she embraced her anger, but was careful to keep it under control. Hot anger would get her killed, but cool anger… that she could work with. She took a deep breath and knelt on the ground. She grabbed the scroll that had been tied to the small of her back and unrolled it, displaying the inky words inside. She bit her thumb hard enough to draw blood and smeared it across the paper. Smoke began to rise, as if the scroll had caught on fire, and from within it, Tenten pulled out her mother's sword. She stood up and moved the sword in a side-way arc, waking its ghost up.

"This way, Tetsua Tenten," a man said, bowing to her, his expression neutral. He directed her towards the side of the dome, where a gate laid open in invitation.

Tenten pulled her coat off and handed it to Lee before turning around to face the music. She stepped in and noticed, for the first time, that the statue of her uncle was inside. They'd been either unable to move it or unwilling. Whatever the cause, Tenten wouldn't complain. Having him there made her feel safer and she wasn't about to spur any advantages she could get.

She saw Nobu walking towards the door at the opposite end. He had to slip in sideways, his frame almost too big to fit through. The sound of the gates simultaneously closing and locking behind them doubled Tenten's nervousness. Nobu seemed to have grown in size and muscle as soon as he'd stepped inside. It was a ridiculous notion, but she couldn't shake it off.

_I've grown too,_ she told herself, tightening her hold on the sword. The man started moving sideways, and she did the same, following his slower pace. Round and round they went, studying each other, taunting each other and waiting to see who would open the battle. _I'm not a victim, I'm an avenger! He's not the serpent of my dreams anymore! He's a monster, but he's mortal! He'll bleed just like me… he'll die just like them! _She remembered the crosses with bones hanging from their rotten wood. The image extinguished most of her fear, enough to suppress the urge to run away.

"I'm gonna enjoy this." The leer on his grin made the sword in her hand scream.

"We'll see about that," she said drily, brandish her sword, allowing the steel to feel the chakra of her enemy. The sword was itching to lash out, but Tenten was careful to keep its blood thirst at bay. Nobu was bigger and definitely stronger. Tenten had to be smart about her attacks. Her best choice would be to fight guerrilla style; close-in, attack and move back, using her superior speed to keep out of range of his weapon.

Nobu's hand hovered above his whip and Tenten held her breath. Her strategy would not work if he used his long-ass whip. For some reason, Nobu changed his mind and unhooked the axe that had been hanging from his belt instead. Tenten was careful to keep the relief from showing in her face.

He slashed the air a couple of times threateningly. "You can't imagine how long I've waited. I've hoped and craved for the day when I would be able to properly thank you for this," he stroked the scar that had disfigured his face.

Tenten matched the sadism of his smile, "Don't thank me just yet. That work of art is only half-done." Anger flashed in his eyes, widening her smile, "But I promise you this, when I'm done with you, you'll be truly unrecognizable."

That did it. Nobu charged at her like a bull. Tenten barely managed to parry and move to the side. The partial clash of steel against steel left her arm shaking and palms tingling. Her heart raced, pumping adrenaline into her veins, fueling the next couple of moves as she tried to waltz the giant.

Tenten's prediction turned out to be dead-on when she tried to duel him properly only to hit the grill of the dome with a grunt when he swatted her like a fly. She pushed herself off of the wall and put some distance between them, a second before Nobu's axe could split open her skull. Damn! There was no way in hell she could fight him like this; not if she wanted to keep her limbs intact.

She fell into a sword stance she'd learnt from her mom; feet separated, knees bent, back straight, torso at a forty degree angle with her sword high, pointing at him, blade maintained just about eye-level. She measured the distance and waited for Nobu to come at her. He did so at a slower pace, allowing her enough time to study his pose, searching for weaknesses.

Before she could be in reach of his weapon, she slipped into action. She moved towards him at top speed, zigzagging to keep him disoriented. He swung his axe at her, but she avoided it and landed a quick slash on his exposed side. Nobu was quick to counterattack and Tenten barely managed to pull her sword up to parry the blow. She backed away quickly, circled him and tried to flank him.

Nobu spun to face her with his axe held low, but she was no long there. She'd jumped, twisted on the air and landed just behind him. She hacked his back, the steel tainted red, the blade humming gleefully as it bit deeper into his skin. But Nobu was truly a monster because, not registering pain, he turned around and punched her straight in the face.

Tenten backed away, automatically throwing a couple of kunais in Nobu's general direction. She stopped for a moment and shook her head, trying to clear away the blackness blocking her view. A blink and he was close enough for her to smell the foulness of his breath. She threw herself on the ground and rolled away, gaining her feet and hurling herself at him like an arrow. Her blade slid against his axe and, taking a risk, she took a hand away from the handle and pulled out a kunai from the folds of her yukata. Nobu pressed her back but Tenten stepped sideways, causing him to topple forward with the momentum. This was it! Tenten took advantage of the opening and half of the blade of her kunai disappeared inside his left bicep.

Nobu recovered unnaturally fast, catching her off guard. His right hand connected with the side of her head, sending her flying across the field. She rolled on the ground but came off kneeling. There was loud ringing in her ears and she felt disoriented, her eyes unfocused, her mind spinning. She spit out a mouthful of blood, but taste of iron persisted. She moved her tongue around only to find a mean cut in the inside of her cheek.

Tenten grunted and was just standing up when she felt something like thick, coarse leather wound around her neck. Her eyes widened in horrified realization but it was too late. Nobu pulled his whip and the leather tightened around her neck, sending her flying in a high arch towards him. His fist connected with her stomach and sent her back across the field. She crashed against something that had sharp angles which dug into her muscles painfully. She tumbled to the ground and shook her head, fighting for breath as her hand frantically searched the ground. Where was her blade?

"Not as fun as your mother, after all," Nobu sounded close… too damn close.

Tenten's eyes widened when a shadow fell on her. She pushed away from the ground, trying to land a kick on his stomach. The movement must have been predictable, because Nobu caught her foot and dangled her like a rag doll.

_This can't be happening,_ she thought, eyes prickling. She wasn't sure if the tears came from fear, anger or pain, but she would be stupid to shed them in front of him!

Nobu chuckled and she felt her body slamming against the floor, hard. She would have tried rolling away, but the blow stunned her momentarily. Nobu's hand came to rest on her throat and with little effort, he picked her up so that he could look her in the eye. One step forward and her back connected against that sharp, pointy something again. Whatever the thing was, it heated up enough to burn into her skin; her clothes offering little to no protection against it.

"I think your smile needs some help," Nobu pointed out. The kunai she'd planted in his bicep was now on his hand, red with his blood.

"Fu… y…u," she slurred, air barely traveling through her sore throat, making her lightheaded.

"What's that?" He tilted his head mockingly, bringing his ear close to her swollen lips.

Tenten glared and tried to bite him, causing him to chuckle.

"Oh, don't thank me just yet! Now, stay still, you don't want to end up like a monster, do you?" He brought the blade close, and stopped an inch away from her skin. She could tell he was enjoying this too much to end it quickly. "Now where should I begin my design? Got any suggestions, lil' spider?"

Panic sharpened her senses and… what was that? There was a… _hum_ behind her. She closed her eyes and focused on that sound. Steel. She could feel it caressing her, she could hear it whispering in her head. It sang to her and called her with the sweet voice of her uncle.

_I'm here,_ he said. _I'm here, sweetheart. Take me. _

Tenten had never heard the voice of the steel so clear. She was tempted to accept it right away, but knew what would happen if she opened herself to this power unprepared. She'd seen her father doing it once, to demonstrate the Tetsuas' secret weapon.

Resonance.

It was a double edged sword, one that could kill her if not handled properly. But Tenten was already dangling an inch away from a torturous death anyways! So what was the harm? Her choices were limited and, because of that, she shrugged off all of her concerns and plunged into the feeling headfirst. The solid steel became malleable and she felt it move towards her, embracing her from behind. Nobu lost his footing as the statue of her uncle melted. The steel moved across her skin like water, encasing her in a silver suite. Nobu pulled his hand away in time to avoid the melted steel. Tenten landed on her feet, the ground cracking under her increased weight.

She heard some oohs and ahhs and then silence, oppressive and tensed.

Slowly but excitedly, she flexed her hands, fisting and un-fisting. The steel was heavy and felt cumbersome, but she knew that if she wanted, she could move with the same speed she'd used before. She felt her chakra mixing with the steel, helping to keep it from caging her, and her energy storage started to deplete more rapidly than before.

"No… you shouldn't be able…" Nobu shook his head and gave a step back. For the first time he seemed unsure; a shadow of fear passing through his eyes.

Tenten tried to say something, but she couldn't open her mouth. The only places that the steel hadn't touched were her eyes, ears and her nostrils. She was a moving statue, her whole body an almost indestructible, deadly weapon.

_Be quick, Tenten,_ she thought she heard her uncle whisper in her ear. As insane as it was, she paid heed to the warning. Resonance consumed chakra like crazy, giving her only a small window of time for her to finish this fight and shed the silver from her.

Tenten moved her arms in circles, testing how much chakra the steel consumed with the simple action. It felt strange… yet, _right _in an odd kind of way. It came natural to her to control the Resonance, even though this was her first time doing it. It was as if the steel had always been a part of her, a second skin even!

Hazel eyes scanned the floor, detecting her mother's sword. She concentrated on it, reaching for it with her chakra. The steel hummed and came awake, making the sword snap onto her open hand as if she'd become a magnet. The sword roared; anger still intense, mission unattained.

Nobu's forehead was beading with sweat, but he must have swallowed his fear, because he came at her, whip replaced by his huge axe. Tenten parried the blow, concentrating most of her chakra on her arms, so that the steel around them was thicker and sturdier, just in case he landed a blow.

It was easier to parry now. She managed to fully stop his axe more than six times and landed blows that disoriented him and made him back away in uncertain feet. Tenten focused all her strength into her right fist and, when he came at her for the twentieth time, she punched him square in the face in retaliation from the blows before. She heard a sickening crunch which signaled she's broken something. She was hoping for his mouth.

Nobu stepped back, shook his head and brushed the blood that came out his nose. He spit some out, half his face covered in running crimson. A broken nose worked for her too.

"You'll die the same death your uncle did," he seethed, grinding his teeth as he resumed his unrelenting attacks.

She was heavier now, though. Probably as heavy, if not heavier than him and so Tenten didn't have to run for dear life anymore. She stood her ground, her eyes glinting with amusement and met his charge. Her blade intercepted every blow with ease. The clash of steel against steel became a symphony for her. How could it not? She could feel even the steel of his axe calling to her, craving her touch, betraying its future movements to her in whispers. Midway through one of his attacks, Tenten answered the call. She put her hand out and, inches before the axe could slam against it, she absorbed the steel, leaving only the leather handle on Nobu's hand.

Tenten wanted to speak. She wanted to laugh at him, to tell him that what she would do next would be for all her Clan. But she couldn't control the steel enough to push it away from her face. So she glared at him before charging him, her chakra fueling her speed. She surprised him with her boldness so that he was too slow to avoid her. He was tired and they both knew it. Pounding into steel had been hard work. He'd probably assumed that she wouldn't be able to hold the Resonance for so long and had hoped to kill her as she shed the steel.

Whatever the case, Tenten proved him wrong as her sword slashed him across his broad chest. Without missing a beat, she spun on her heels and slashed again, painting a big, red x on his torso. The steel tightened around her arms, reminding her of her uncle's warning. She had to finish him quickly. She wasn't sure how much time she had left!

Tenten's sword slashed, cut and pierced through skin and muscles, sometimes all the way to bones. The ground eventually turned red, blood pooling and glistering under them, prompting her mother's blade to relish in the taste!

At some point, her body began to decelerate, causing her arms to move sluggishly. She was covered in blood by then, red beads rolling down her silver armor like tears. She had little chakra left and Tenten knew that the ticking of the clock had started a while back. She had to end this. She had to end him. And she had to do it fast.

Her next breath came ragged and panic began to build in the pit of her stomach. A voice shattered the silence, reminding her of the audience all around.

"Break it, Tenten!" It was her father screaming. She tried to let go of the silver, but failed. She tried two more times, but her armor remained. She fought the urge to look at her father then, afraid that he would see the rising panic in her eyes. Her father's voice rose again, repeating his command, but this time another voice joined him.

It was a spell -it had to be!- because suddenly her surroundings started to transform, much like they'd done countless times in her dreams and she was no longer standing in the middle of the Tetsuas' graveyard_. _

_She was in a forest, surrounded by hostile ninjas. She tried to move but couldn't and knew that she was no longer Tenten. She was a passenger looking through the eyes of her uncle, incapable of action, a silent audience to her family's last stand._

_The battle seemed to have come to a standstill. Yaemon was surrounded, but his enemies were motionless, distracted by something happening behind him. Tenten could hear Yaemon's thoughts and feel his emotions as though they were her own. He was tired but knew that, if he wanted, he could take advantage of the Oschiro's distraction and make a run for it. He would probably make it… but that would mean leaving Ryuu behind and he couldn't do it. _

_Yaemon's eyes widened. His brother! He was… behind him! He took the risk to turn around and, as he'd feared, he found his brother struggling to keep the Resonance under control. Nobu was close by, enjoying the sight of the ground cracking below Ryuu's feet, threatening to swallow him whole. Ryuu gave a step towards the Serpent, his foot tearing a hole in the torso of a lifeless body nearby. A dozen more bodies stood on his way, riddled with so many blades that they might as well have been porcupines._

_A chocking noise came past Ryu's throat and Nobu chuckled, signaling his buddies to stay put and watch the show with him. Yaemon's mind raced with a hundred thoughts and his heart clenched with overwhelming fear. _

"_Break it!" he screamed, overcoming his initial shock and making his way past his enemies. He encountered no resistance. Everyone was too engrossed on Ryuu's predicament to care for Yaemon. He could see it in their faces. Morbid curiosity. They ached to see what a victim of Resonance would look like, but Yaemon would be damned if he allowed his brother to perish in such a fashion! _

_Ryuu must have sensed him approaching, because he turned to look him straight in the eyes. His face was a cold, silver mask and what he could not speak with his mouth he tried to say with his eyes. Stay away, was the command, followed by a 'leave', 'escape', 'live'! _

"_I can't," Yaemon snarled, Tenten's cheerful face on the forefront of his mind. She would always choose Ryuu over him, and that was as it should be. Yaemon had lost his wife and child already, he had more to gain by dying than Ryuu did! "I promised her I would keep you safe!" _

_Ryuu's hand moved up, palm outstretched towards him, not in offering but in rejection. His body relayed his feelings clearly, but Yaemon could not give him what he wanted. He'd sworn to Tenten that he would keep her father safe! How would he ever look her in the eye if he were to fail? No! Yaemon couldn't watch him die, not when he still had so much to live for! He'd seen them get away. His family was still at large, probably waiting for him. _

_Yaemon's eyes filled with tears, strengthening his determination. He would give his brother a chance at happiness, bleak as it might seem. That would have to be enough…_

"_I will not break my promise!" he vowed, reaching out to touch that outstretched palm that could no longer move. His fingers touched, grabbed, held onto Ryuu! The silver wasn't humming, it was screeching, demanding chakra and blood and life. Yaemon reached deep down inside him and answered by opening himself up for a last, desperate Resonance._

_The silver encasing his brother became liquid and moved towards him in a deadly wave. It embraced him, holding onto him like a leech. There was no better way to explain the sentiment. It was as if a thousand leeches were clinging to him, absorbing the last of his chakra and with it his life. The steel became cold as a grave and then… pain. So strong and piercing that he would have screamed himself hoarse if he'd been capable. But the silver was covering his mouth and the scream stayed in his head. He felt his bones cracking and his chest tightening as the steel began to crush him._

_The last thing he saw was Ryuu on his knees, still holding onto his hand with a silver limb, tears streaming down his face, anger and grief flashing through his eyes in equal amounts. Yaemon tried to absorb the silver still encasing his arm too, but the pain made his concentration slip. Ryuu would always wear a silver glove, but at least he would live. _

_His last thought was for her. _

'_I did not break my promise, little Princess,' he whispered, before the pain drove him for a second completely insane. _

Tenten was thrown back into reality. There were tears on her eyes, pain in her chest. If steel could trap a part of the soul of the person it came in contact with last, could it be that this was her uncle's doing? Could it be that, in his own way, he was trying to tell her something…

_You didn't break your promise, uncle._

"Tenten, snap out of it!" Neji's frustrated voice shattered her thoughts, pulling her back into the present.

A shadow fell over her and Tenten's body moved automatically. Her arm moved up, guarding her vulnerable eyes. Nobu's whip coiled around her forearm, but Tenten could barely feel it. It hit her then and there, a daunting idea. Nobu must have seen her intention, because his eyes widened and he tried to pull the whip away, but Tenten's hand tightened around it. Concentrating her chakra, she pulled him towards her with all the strength she could muster. She raised her mother's blade and allowed momentum to do the rest. The sword screamed in victory as its blade plunged into Nobu's stomach, coming out of his back like a red tooth of some demon.

_I will let you know what he felt, _she thought, wishing she could tell him that. There was no need, however, for he would know soon enough. That on her mind, Tenten concentrated and pushed the silver away from her and onto him, using the blade as a conductor. Yes, he saw the doom that awaited him because his features twisted, displaying naked fear. It would not be the cut what would kill him, she'd make sure of that by avoiding damage to his organs!

Nobu gave a step back, trying to get away, but there was no way he could match the speed of chakra-infused steel. Tenten fell to her knees as the steel released her, moving through the blade and onto Nobu, caging him in melted steel. It was over in less than a minute; Nobu's scream dying midway through his throat but leaving behind the sound of bones breaking.

Tenten was panting with exhaustion and barely noticed the tension sweeping the crowd. Where they not expecting her to win?

"Tenten, watch out!" Lee yelled hoarsely. Her eyes sought him out, and found him running towards the entrance, with Naruto and Sasuke close by. Confused, she watched them try to pull the door open with no success.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, wheezing out the words. Kami, her throat felt swollen and was hurting like hell.

"Damn it, Tenten! Look behind you!" Sasuke cursed, pointing at something while he began circling the dome, trying to reach the other side.

The words registered and, frowning, she turned to the other entrance only to see Hiro charging her, his sword held high, anger distorting his futures. She tried to push herself off the ground, but her legs were uncooperative as was her damn body.

Kami, she was tired…so very tired…

Her lids dropped and, despite her imminent death, her body swayed. Nothing else to do, she resigned herself to the cruelness of her faith. Yet, death never kissed her hello. Confused, her eyes opened to find Hiro standing with two swords piercing him from behind, a string of blood coming out from the corner of his mouth. His expression mirrored hers, only his was starting to twist into horrifying realization.

As if on cue, the blades were roughly pulled out of him and the man fell to his knees, his eyes glazed and devoid of life before he even hit the floor. Towering his body was none other than the man whose face had popped out of that crowd. He was so odd… and so freakishly familiar…

Her eyes dropped to his hands. He wasn't holding the blades, it would have been impossible due to his twisted fingers. Instead, the blades were coming out of silver bands he'd strapped to his forearms. She should thank him, shouldn't she?

His lips moved but she heard nothing.

"I can't hear you," she told him and then proceeded to slip into unconsciousness.

**-o0o-**

**Hyuga Neji **sat beside Ryuu, who had yet to let go of his daughter as he settled her on his lap, cradling her to him gently but firmly. Neji rubbed his wrists absently, wishing he could hold Tenten for a little bit. He'd been scared to death when he'd seen her battling Nobu and was both relieved and proud when she'd come out victorious.

"It'll take some getting used to," Ryuu mused, rubbing his own wrists.

Neji smirked, "You'll have plenty of time to do so."

"Where's the long haired man and the creepy-smiley one?" Ryuu asked, looking around the makeshift camp. After some consideration, they'd opted to light a small fire, which Lee and Naruto were tending. Sasuke and Kiba where spread about, keeping guard just in case the Oschiros changed their mind and came to finish them off.

"We've sent Shikamaru and Sai ahead of us to inform the Hokage of our success. Since they were both well rested, I assumed they were able to cover more ground today."

"This Hokage of yours is not the same person I made a deal with all that time ago, is it?" Ryuu's concern was evident in the look he shared with his cousin, who'd also been invited to tag along. After the man had saved Tenten, nobody had offered any complaints about this alteration to their original plan.

"No, but our Hokage is an honorable woman. She will keep the deal, you have my word," Neji assured. Tsunade had, after all, learned of the deal through the Black Widow's journal and she'd sent them to rescue Ryuu and bring him back. She would not betray the Tetsuas, who'd already lost so much to begin with.

Ryuu sighed, combing Tenten's hair absently. The way he was holding her spoke volumes about how much he'd missed her. She stirred and Ryuu stopped his ministrations. Neji didn't know he was holding his breath until her eyes opened and he let it go.

She blinked, sat up and looked around trying to make sense of things. After scanning the camp and probably making sure they were not in danger, her eyes focused on her father. Her face split into a radiant smile that took Neji's breath away, even if it hadn't been directed at him. And then, just like that, she hugged him tightly and cried her heart out.

"You did it," Ryuu whispered, chuckling when she pecked his gaunt cheek.

"You look handsome," she admitted after recovering her composure. Embarrassed, she brushed her tears away furiously. Her eyes jumped to Neji for the first time and she graced him with a wide smile, making his heart sing happily.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, fighting the urge to caress her cheek and kiss those beautiful lips of hers.

She smiled and crawled away from her father's lap, sitting between Ryuu and him. "I'm fine. A little sore here and there, but nothing to worry about." She touched her head. "What happened?"

Neji proceeded to explain all of what had transpired after she'd fallen unconscious.

_It was chaos. People were talking at the same time, making more noise than conversation. Some were on their feet, ready to sprint into action. But against who? That seemed to be the question in everyone's lips. Rat was still inside the cage, kneeling close to Tenten with his weapons ready to defend her if needed be. Neji was relieved when Lee, Sasuke and Naruto joined him, crowding around her protectively. _

_If Ryuu was nervous, he hid it well. Neji schooled his face to display nothing of what he was feeling. But that was all it was, a mask. Truth was, Neji was afraid Ryota would go back on his words and execute them all then and there. But the leader of the Oschiros proved him wrong. He stood up and, with a few well versed phrases, resolved the issue with outstanding grace and solemnity. He declared Tenten the winner and excused Rat's involvement in the fight, given that Hiro had violated the rules of combat first._

"_Release them," he ordered a nearby guard. "Tetsua Tenten has earned them their freedom."_

_Ryuu rubbed his wrists once the shackles had been taken off and gained his feet. Neji followed, but was unsure about what to do next. Ryota offered them rooms to rest before their trip, but Ryuu was quick to decline the invitation just as cordially. Neji could have been wrong, but he detected something akin to relief cross Ryota's face. He had been trying to keep appearances, but they all knew that staying longer than necessary would only invite trouble._

"_Come on," Ryuu whispered, making his way down the stairs and towards the dome. _

_They met with the blade team just outside the cage. Lee was carrying Tenten bridal-style, worry evident in every line of his face. Neji took charge of the situation. He asked them to gather their stuff and to meet at the gates of the village. He was about to get Tenten, but Ryuu beat him to it. _

"_We'll move ahead," Neji suggested, signaling Lee to stay with them just in case they were attacked. In tensed silence, their small band marched down the packed streets of the village. The people followed them, keeping their distance, curiosity evident in every face. Neji ignored them as best he could. At least if someone came at them, they would have to struggle to get through the crowd. _

_Before they reached the gates, Sasuke and Naruto joined them. Outside, they met Akamaru, who promptly lead them to Shikamaru and his team. Reunited, they made quick introductions and reported what had happened, before it was unanimously decided to try to cover as much ground as possible before sundown. _

"And here we are," Neji finished; bracing himself for the question he knew was coming, for Tenten had noticed the new acquisition to their team. Her father's cousin was kneeling nearby and seemed to be growing uncomfortable under Tenten's scrutiny.

"You were there in the dome," she frowned. "Why do you look so bloody familiar? Who… who are you?"

She knew. Even if she wasn't saying it, Neji could see she'd connected the dots. Her body was coiled, ready to attack at any second if given the little push needed. It was a tricky situation and Neji did not envy Ryuu's position.

"He's your kinsman… Tetsua Kioji," Ryuu answered, straight to the point.

Tenten's eyes widened. Her expression twisted from shock to scorn in a blink. She turned to her father, completely appalled.

"What is he doing here?" her voice sounded strained and she was shaking. Neji wanted to hold her, but opted to keep out of the way for the time being.

"Tenten, listen-"

"No!" She shook her head stubbornly. "What is he doing here? Dad, he betrayed you! He betrayed us!" She lashed out, standing up and pointing at the silent man. Her face turned a shade of crimson and fire danced in her eyes, "Everyone is dead because of him, including mom! Or have you forgotten?"

Ryuu flinched at the last but kept his cool. "You know not enough to judge, Tenten. Walk off your anger and come back when you are ready to listen."

Tenten seemed to want to say something else, but chose differently. She clenched her jaw and stormed away from the camp, huffing and cursing under her breath. Neji followed her with his eyes, wishing there was something he could do or say to make things better. He hated watching Tenten suffer and he'd seen plenty of that lately.

"She needs a friend," Ryuu advice, smiling tiredly at him. Tenten's words had hurt him more than he'd allowed her to see. Perhaps he too needed a moment to compose himself?

Since it wasn't his place to pry, Neji nodded his understanding and followed her footprints. He found her sitting on the ground just outside the outskirts of their camps, hidden by the darkness. If it wasn't for his byakugan, he might have had more trouble locating her since there was no moon tonight to guide him.

"Tenten," he called softly, sitting beside her, close enough so that their shoulders were touching.

"I don't get it, Neji! What the hell does he mean I don't know enough! I know enough about Kioji to hate his guts!" She seethed, frustrated and utterly baffled.

Neji took her clenched hand in his. He pried her fingers open and kissed her palm softly. That seemed to distract her enough to end her tirade.

"He must have his reasons," he answered thoughtfully. "Your father more than anyone should hate him, but he doesn't, Tenten… that should mean something, shouldn't it?"

A long pause followed, but the silence wasn't tensed and uncomfortable. It was their silence, companionable and familiar.

"I'm sorry, Neji," she whispered, entwining her fingers with his. She brought his hand to her lips and it was she who kissed him this time. Kami, Neji had needed this so much! He'd needed confirmation that her feelings hadn't changed! It was petty of him, but there it was. He was human, after all. "I'm sorry for everything… including putting your life in danger."

"My life is yours to do with it as you please," he admitted in a whisper.

She chuckled softly, probably thinking he was teasing her. If only he could make her believe that he'd spoken nothing but the truth. His life was hers and he was fine with it. But this was not the time for that.

"So you'll listen to what he has to say?" he breached the subject pointedly, putting an arm around her and pulling her close.

She laid her head on his shoulder, molding her body to his. "Yeah," she sighed. "He's my father. I will always listen to him."

Neji kissed her temple, "As you should. He's a good man."

Tenten chuckled, "I gather you bonded with him in the Oschiro's basement?"

"Something like that," he admitted with a smile.

"I'm jealous," she said and before he could ask her to elaborate, she twisted in his arms and pressed her soft lips to his. He closed his eyes and answered eagerly, deepening the kiss. He kissed her for a long time, wanting to make up for their time apart. He was glad Tenten seemed to relish the moment as much as him, so that when they finally parted they were breathless.

"Would you…" she stopped, unsure.

"What is it?" he prompted, trying to figure out if he'd done something wrong.

"Would you hold my hand?" She asked and laughed nervously right after that. "Kami, listen to me! I'm acting like a little girl. Forget I asked, it was nothing!"

She stood up and was about to leave, but Neji had yet to let go of her hand. He pulled and she spun around to face him. He didn't need to see her face to know she was blushing. It had been a moment of weakness that had prompted her to ask this of him, and he'd relished her trust. But now she was shutting down, probably thinking he was disgusted by her vulnerability when the truth was, he was charmed by it!

"Tenten," he called, pressing his forehead to hers, "would it be terribly selfish of me if I asked you not to let go of my hand?"

"Are you making fun of me?"

Neji shook his head, "No. Are you making fun of me?"

She chuckled softly and pecked his lips.

"Thank you," she whispered before pulling at his hand in signal that they should return. He activated his byakugan and guided them back into camp. Ryuu's eyes strayed to their linked hands but he said nothing, nor did he gave any indication that the gesture bothered him.

They sat down opposite Ryuu and a still kneeling Kioji. Naruto and Lee were nearby, trying to hide the fact that they were just as interested in what was happening as Neji was.

Ryuu smiled, probably pleased by Tenten's civility. After gathering his thoughts, he finally confessed a hidden tragedy in the story of the Tetsua's fall.

"Around the time Sayomi's –your mother's cover was blown, there was a man who was struggling to ask his soul mate to marry him. I didn't know this at the time… Truth was, part of me didn't want to know. Your mother's situation had made me selfish in my needs and I was unwilling to open my eyes to what the rest of the Clan was going through."

Ryuu rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed by the confession. "A distant cousin of mine, a man that was usually quiet and kept to himself, had fallen madly in love with a girl from the Oschiro Clan. Her name was Wei. And the man who'd fallen for her was Tetsua Kioji.

"I don't expect you to remember it with as much detail as I do, Tenten, you were just a little girl. But after Nobu attacked your mother, there was utter chaos within the Clan. Your mother confessed her crimes and, I have to admit, I was emotionally compromised. I should have given temporary leadership to Yaemon, but I was afraid he would have Sayomi executed for her crimes. And so I concealed my fear and faked objectivity.

"Then the visitors came, the copy-nin and the beast. They came with an offer from the Leaf and it was as if my prayers had been answered. I listened to them intently, negotiating the deal. I wanted to say yes right then and there," Ryuu chuckled drily. "But I wasn't so far gone to ignore the duties to my Clan.

"So I gathered all the Tetsuas into the main hall and introduced our guests. The beast, Maito Gai, addressed us, explaining in detail the offer to move our Clan to their hidden village. The war was over, but I was afraid some would still see this as an act of betrayal. When it was time to vote if the Tetsuas should leave the Earth Country, Kioji's was the only hand that wasn't raised. I saw this and yet, I ignored him. I didn't want to hear your reasons, cousin," he told a silent Kioji apologetically, "because what if your reasons swayed the rest of the Clan? What if your reasons swung the blade that would kill my wife?"

He shook his head and seemed to struggle for a bit on how to phrase the rest of the story. Eventually, he found his voice again.

"Kioji was angry and felt betrayed, and rightly so," he acknowledged, glancing at the now frozen man. Kioji was tensed as a bow, barely even breathing as he listened intently. "It was for the love I bore your mother that I convinced the Clan to leave and it was for the love that he bore Wei, that he could not follow us. Who, then, is in the wrong, Tenten? Can you answer that without a shadow of doubt? How can I judge a man who put it all on the line for love when I had done just that! Who, then, was the true betrayer in this tragic tale?"

Tenten shook her head, tears welling in her eyes, "I didn't know."

Ryuu smiled sadly, "Neither did I. Not until much later, when a disheveled Wei came into my prison and explained what had happened. She blamed herself for the destruction of our Clan and begged my forgiveness with tears in her eyes. I told her the same thing you just said, that I hadn't known. But she was crying and could barely hear me. Frantically, she asked me to forgive Kioji for what he'd done. Words failed me and I remained silent." His eyes moved to Kioji. "I was just… so shocked by the truth, so humbled by her words… Tenten, this girl opened my eyes…," Ryuu's voice trembled, "and then pulled a knife out and took her own life."

Kioji hid his face behind his hands, but his sobs were loud enough to be heard by all. Had he known? Neji thought he didn't. Nobody could fake the raw pain that Kioji was displaying. It was fresh… it was new… and it was cruel.

"You thought she left you, but she didn't," Ryuu informed him, reaching out to his cousin, squeezing his shoulder with affection. "But you must understand one thing. She did not kill herself because she was ashamed of what you did, cousin. She killed herself so that her death could wipe your slate clean."

Kioji's body shook and the wail that came past his lips was almost inhuman and, because of that, heartbreaking. Tenten let go of Neji and gained her feet. Slowly, almost uncertainty, she approached the hurting man and then… she hugged him, tightly, lovingly, honestly.

This was why Neji couldn't help but love her. She was a gentle creature, incapable of not being moved by the pain of others. She was a fighter and a dancer… but she was also a healer in her own special way.

"I'm sorry… I didn't know," her voice cracked, her eyes shining with tears. "Kioji… let's go home and start over." His mangled arms came to circle her and he clung to her like a drowning man. Beside them, Ryuu barely managed to keep his tears at bay, but more than sadness, pride glinted in his eyes.

It was in that moment that Neji understood that no matter what fate had in store for her, Tenten would make it. She would continue onwards with her head held high. If there was no road leading her to a happily ever after, she would make one and Neji would help her as best he could. Always.

_Fate, behold, you have no more power over us. This is the beginning of our happily ever after. _

**~FIN~**

**Story Written by: Giselle González**

© Naruto (and the characters therein) is property of Masashi Kishimoto.

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**AN:** So this is officially finished, but I'll be adding an epilogue soon. For those craving more romantic scenes and lightheartedness –of if you are just curious about what happened to the Tetsuas- there will plenty of that next update! Thank you for all the support and apologies for how long to took to finish this!

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:…:Other **Naruto** Stories:…:

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**…SharpBladed Spirit…**

Knowing she has no other choice, Tenten accepts an S-Rank mission that entails her to get captured and tortured. But what happens when Neji finds out? Will he be able to reach her before it's too late? ::_Tenten x Neji_::

**…Burning Winter…**

Forced to stay in a cabin and wait for a snowstorm to pass, Neji and Tenten discover how to keep each other warm. ::NejixTenten:: One-shot.

**…The Epiphany…**

Sometimes it is only on the verge of death when we discover how dumb we've been to those we truly treasure. Will Neji be able to show Tenten how he truly feels, or will his epiphany remain something to forever wonder about? ::NejixTenten:: One-shot.

**…Remembering my Heart…**

Shino has helped in saving the world just to have that same world turn on him. As his life is slipping away, could someone save him? Could he find that which he has lost and live with purpose again? One-shot. AU. ::Shino x Tenten:: One-shot.


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